---
id: opendatalab
version: "0.0.10"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# opendatalab — OpenDataLab Python SDK

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 215.5K/mo

## What it is and what it does

OpenDataLab Python SDK is a client library and CLI tool for accessing datasets from the OpenDataLab platform (opendatalab.org.cn). It wraps the platform's API to let you search, list, and download datasets programmatically or via command-line commands like `odl get`, `odl ls`, and `odl search`. The package requires an OpenDataLab account and handles authentication, file listing with metadata, and dataset downloads with progress tracking.

The SDK depends on click for CLI scaffolding, requests for HTTP calls, tqdm for progress bars, colorama and rich for terminal output formatting, pycryptodome for cryptographic operations, openxlab for platform integration, and pywin32 for Windows support. It targets Python 3.7 and later and is classified as Beta. The maintainers explicitly warn that the SDK is work-in-progress and may have compatibility gaps with the OpenAPI, so staying on the latest version is advised.

Use it for:

- Search and browse available datasets on OpenDataLab without leaving your Python environment or shell.
- Download machine learning datasets like MNIST, COCO, or TAO in bulk for local training pipelines.
- List and inspect dataset file structures and sizes before deciding which files to download.
- Automate dataset acquisition in data preparation scripts or CI/CD workflows.
- Read dataset files directly from the platform without downloading them locally first.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

OpenDataLab Python SDK provides programmatic and CLI access to datasets hosted on the OpenDataLab platform, with login, search, listing, and download capabilities.

Yes, if you need to access OpenDataLab datasets and can work around the aging maintenance status. The package is lightweight to install, has no known vulnerabilities, and the MIT license carries no restrictions. However, be aware that the last release was over a year ago, the maintainers flag ongoing compatibility concerns with the platform API, and you may need to stay on the latest version or work around breaking changes. Suitable for active projects where you can tolerate occasional friction; less suitable if you need long-term stability guarantees.

## Install

pip install opendatalab
uv add opendatalab
poetry add opendatalab

## Installing opendatalab

Before you install: Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel. Maintenance is aging—last release was over a year ago (2023-08-02) and the last commit was 2025-07-31, suggesting sporadic updates. The description warns that the SDK is WIP and recommends using the latest version due to potential OpenAPI compatibility issues.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in your own projects.

Quickstart:

pip install opendatalab

from opendatalab.cli.login import implement_login
from opendatalab.cli.utility import ContextInfo
from opendatalab.__version__ import __url__

ctx = ContextInfo(__url__, "")
client = ctx.get_client()
odl_api = client.get_api()
res_list = odl_api.search_dataset("MNIST")

An OpenDataLab account (username and password) is required to authenticate and access datasets. You must register at https://opendatalab.org.cn/ first.

Verify before relying:

- Current state of OpenAPI compatibility between SDK and platform—the description flags this as uncertain
- Whether the aging maintenance status reflects active development or dormancy
- Whether pywin32 dependency is truly required on non-Windows platforms or is conditionally installed

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 215.5K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

dataset download sdk, opendatalab python client, access open datasets programmatically, dataset search and retrieval, cli tool for dataset management, machine learning dataset access, opendatalab api wrapper, dataset-access, cli-tool, machine-learning

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