---
id: oslo-db
version: "18.1.0"
license: Apache-2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# oslo.db — Oslo Database library

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 467.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

oslo.db is an OpenStack library that abstracts database connectivity and provides common patterns for ORM-based applications. It wraps SQLAlchemy and alembic to offer a unified interface for database operations across different backends, handling session management, migrations, and helper utilities that OpenStack services rely on.

The library is production-stable and actively maintained, with support for Python 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, and 3.14. It's primarily designed for OpenStack projects but can be used by any application needing structured database abstraction with alembic-based schema management. Its runtime dependencies are well-established libraries (SQLAlchemy, alembic, oslo.config, stevedore), making it a straightforward addition to projects already using those tools.

Use it for:

- Building OpenStack services that need consistent database connectivity patterns and schema versioning.
- Abstracting database backend differences in multi-tenant or multi-database applications using SQLAlchemy.
- Managing database migrations in large projects via alembic with oslo.db's helper utilities.
- Implementing session and connection pooling strategies for OpenStack-compatible applications.

## Worth the install?

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

oslo.db provides database connectivity and ORM utilities for OpenStack applications, abstracting backend differences and offering migration, session management, and database helper functions.

Yes, if you are building OpenStack services or applications that benefit from its database abstraction patterns. The library is production-stable, actively maintained, has low install friction, and carries a permissive Apache-2.0 license. No known security vulnerabilities. Install only if you need its specific patterns; it is not a general-purpose ORM replacement.

## Install

pip install oslo-db
uv add oslo-db
poetry add oslo-db

## Installing oslo.db

Before you install: Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution. Active maintenance with a release 35 days ago. Depends on well-established libraries including SQLAlchemy, alembic, and oslo.config.

License in practice: Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most deployment contexts.

Quickstart:

pip install oslo.db

from oslo_db.sqlalchemy import models
from sqlalchemy import Column, String

class MyModel(models.ModelBase):
    name = Column(String)

Requires Python 3.11 or later; SQLAlchemy must be installed and configured with a supported database backend.

Verify before relying:

- Specific database backends supported and any version constraints for each.
- Whether oslo.db is required for non-OpenStack projects or primarily intended for OpenStack ecosystem use.
- Performance characteristics or scalability limits for high-throughput database operations.

## Package facts

- License: Apache-2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 467.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

openstack database library, sqlalchemy orm utilities, database migration management, multi-backend database abstraction, openstack db connectivity, alembic database migrations, oslo database patterns, openstack, sqlalchemy-patterns, schema-migration

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