pkginfo
Query metadata from sdists / bdists / installed packages.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. pkginfo is a stable, zero-dependency utility with no known vulnerabilities, widely used in the Python packaging ecosystem. Install it if you need to programmatically extract or inspect package metadata from distributions or installed packages. The dormant maintenance status is not a concern for a mature, single-purpose library with limited scope for breaking changes.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Low friction: pure Python with no runtime dependencies and a wheel distribution.
- Maintenance is dormant (541 days since last release), but the package is stable and widely used in the Python packaging ecosystem.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive and places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in commercial or private projects.
last release 2025-02-19 (541 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 93,834,699 downloads/mo, #365 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pkginfo
from pkginfo import Wheel, SDist
wheel_meta = Wheel('package-1.0-py3-none-any.whl')
print(wheel_meta.name, wheel_meta.version)- Whether the package handles all modern metadata versions beyond 2.4 (PEP 639) without warnings.
- Real-world performance characteristics when parsing very large or complex distributions.
What it is and what it does
pkginfo is a low-level metadata extraction library for the Python packaging ecosystem. It reads and parses the standardized metadata files (PKG-INFO, EGG-INFO, dist-info) found in source distributions, wheels, eggs, and installed packages, exposing fields like name, version, author, dependencies, and other package metadata as Python objects.
It's primarily used by packaging tools, installers, and build systems that need to inspect package metadata without installing or executing the package itself. The library supports multiple distribution formats and metadata versions, making it a foundational utility for tools like pip, twine, and setuptools that need reliable metadata extraction.
Use it for
- Build tools and package managers inspecting package metadata before installation or dependency resolution.
- Automated systems querying package version, author, or license information from sdists or wheels.
- Development tools analyzing installed package metadata for documentation or introspection.
- CI/CD pipelines validating package metadata consistency across different distribution formats.
- Package repositories or indexes extracting metadata for indexing or validation purposes.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
pkginfo is a stable, zero-dependency utility with no known vulnerabilities, widely used in the Python packaging ecosystem. Install it if you need to programmatically extract or inspect package metadata from distributions or installed packages. The dormant maintenance status is not a concern for a mature, single-purpose library with limited scope for breaking changes.
Install
pkginfo on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction: pure Python with no runtime dependencies and a wheel distribution. Maintenance is dormant (541 days since last release), but the package is stable and widely used in the Python packaging ecosystem.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive and places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in commercial or private projects.
Quickstart
pip install pkginfo
from pkginfo import Wheel, SDist
wheel_meta = Wheel('package-1.0-py3-none-any.whl')
print(wheel_meta.name, wheel_meta.version)Verify before relying
- Whether the package handles all modern metadata versions beyond 2.4 (PEP 639) without warnings.
- Real-world performance characteristics when parsing very large or complex distributions.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.8 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Dormant 541 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 93,834,699 / month, #365 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Intended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: System :: Software Distribution |
Evidence: pkginfo-1.12.1.2-py3-none-any.whl
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See also okonomiyaki · pkginfo2 · depinfo · installer · dist-meta · distlib · distribute · wheel · distro · acres