pickley
Automate installation of standalone python CLIs
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Pickley is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries no known vulnerabilities, and solves a real problem—keeping standalone Python CLIs up-to-date without manual work. It's well-suited for developers who want a portable, zero-config CLI manager. The auto-upgrade feature and bundling support add value over simpler alternatives. Install it if you regularly use multiple Python command-line tools.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later; curl and a POSIX-like shell for the bootstrap one-liner.
- Low friction: pure Python wheel with only two runtime dependencies (click and runez).
- Actively maintained with a recent release; last commit 2026-05-11 and status marked active.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute pickley freely with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-04-06 (130 days) · last repo commit 2026-05-11 · 46 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 557,114 downloads/mo, #6,013 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
# Bootstrap pickley to ~/.local/bin
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codrsquad/pickley/main/src/pickley/bstrap.py | /usr/bin/python3 -
# Install a CLI tool
pickley install tox
# List installed tools
pickley list- Whether auto-upgrade on use works reliably across all CLI tools or only those with specific entry-point structures.
- Performance impact of wrapper-based delivery vs. symlink delivery in real-world workflows.
What it is and what it does
Pickley is a CLI tool installer that manages standalone Python command-line applications from PyPI. It works zero-configuration out of the box—drop it in ~/.local/bin and install any PyPI package with console_scripts entry points. Unlike pipx, pickley automatically upgrades installed CLIs as you use them, keeping them current without manual intervention. It supports version pinning, pre-releases, git branches, and bundled installations through optional configuration.
The tool is portable: all installations happen in the same folder where pickley itself resides, making it ideal for user-local or system-wide CLI management. It uses click for its command interface and runez for utility functions. Supports modern Python versions (3.10 through 3.14) on macOS, Linux, and Unix systems.
Use it for
- Keep tox, hatch, and other development tools automatically up-to-date without manual upgrades or version conflicts.
- Bootstrap a portable CLI toolkit in ~/.local/bin that self-maintains and works across different machines.
- Install and manage multiple Python CLIs with version constraints (e.g., 'tox<4') while staying on the latest compatible release.
- Define bundles to install related CLI tools together (e.g., a 'dev' bundle with tox, pipenv, and pre-commit).
- Run Python CLIs on-demand with auto-install, similar to uvx but with persistent self-upgrading.
- Use a custom PyPI server index for air-gapped or private package installations.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Pickley is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries no known vulnerabilities, and solves a real problem—keeping standalone Python CLIs up-to-date without manual work. It's well-suited for developers who want a portable, zero-config CLI manager. The auto-upgrade feature and bundling support add value over simpler alternatives. Install it if you regularly use multiple Python command-line tools.
Install
pickley on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction: pure Python wheel with only two runtime dependencies (click and runez). Actively maintained with a recent release; last commit 2026-05-11 and status marked active.
Requires Python 3.10 or later; curl and a POSIX-like shell for the bootstrap one-liner.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute pickley freely with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
# Bootstrap pickley to ~/.local/bin
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codrsquad/pickley/main/src/pickley/bstrap.py | /usr/bin/python3 -
# Install a CLI tool
pickley install tox
# List installed tools
pickley listVerify before relying
- Whether auto-upgrade on use works reliably across all CLI tools or only those with specific entry-point structures.
- Performance impact of wrapper-based delivery vs. symlink delivery in real-world workflows.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 2 packagesclickrunez |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 130 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 557,114 / month, #6,013 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: POSIXOperating System :: UnixProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonTopic :: Software Development :: Build ToolsTopic :: System :: Installation/SetupTopic :: System :: Software DistributionTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: pickley-4.6.1-py3-none-any.whl
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