pkginfo2
Query metadata from sdists / bdists / installed packages. Safer fork of pkginfo to avoid doing arbitrary imports and eval.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need safe, code-free package metadata extraction. Low install friction, no runtime dependencies, and a permissive license make it straightforward to adopt. The aging maintenance status is a minor concern but not a blocker for a stable, focused utility. Not necessary if you only work with installed packages via other metadata tools.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- Maintenance status is aging—last release was 291 days ago, though the repository remains active and marked Production/Stable.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects.
last release 2025-10-27 (291 days) · last repo commit 2025-10-27 · 3 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 130,690 downloads/mo, #11,631 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pkginfo2
from pkginfo2 import get_metadata
metadata = get_metadata('path/to/distribution')- Whether this package is actively maintained or in maintenance-only mode beyond the aging signal.
- Real-world usage patterns and whether 130690 monthly downloads reflect active adoption or legacy dependency chains.
What it is and what it does
pkginfo2 is a metadata extraction library that safely reads package information from Python distributions—sdists, wheels, egg-info directories, and dist-info folders—without importing or executing code. It parses the PKG-INFO file and related metadata structures to expose distutils metadata fields as a queryable API.
The package is a fork of the original pkginfo that removes the ability to import and evaluate arbitrary code, making it safer for tools that need to inspect package metadata without triggering side effects. It targets modern Python versions and is intended for build tools, package managers, and metadata inspection utilities that need reliable, code-free access to distribution metadata.
Use it for
- Build tools and package managers that need to inspect package metadata before installation.
- Dependency analyzers that extract metadata from sdists or wheels without executing setup code.
- Package indexing systems that parse PKG-INFO from distributions in a controlled, safe manner.
- Development tools that query installed package metadata from dist-info or egg-info directories.
- CI/CD pipelines that validate package metadata without importing or running package code.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need safe, code-free package metadata extraction.
Low install friction, no runtime dependencies, and a permissive license make it straightforward to adopt. The aging maintenance status is a minor concern but not a blocker for a stable, focused utility. Not necessary if you only work with installed packages via other metadata tools.
Install
pkginfo2 on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Maintenance status is aging—last release was 291 days ago, though the repository remains active and marked Production/Stable.
Requires Python 3.10 or later.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects.
Quickstart
pip install pkginfo2
from pkginfo2 import get_metadata
metadata = get_metadata('path/to/distribution')Verify before relying
- Whether this package is actively maintained or in maintenance-only mode beyond the aging signal.
- Real-world usage patterns and whether 130690 monthly downloads reflect active adoption or legacy dependency chains.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Aging 291 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 130,690 / month, #11,631 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/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: System :: Software DistributionTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: pkginfo2-30.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
Tags
Let your AI agent find packages like this
Example. Real query, live index.
You found this page by searching. An agent finds it by wishing: SkillFed indexes 14,416 PyPI packages by what they can do, searchable in plain language.
wish › “query sdist metadata”
- pkginfo2pkginfo2 reads and parses package metadata from source distributions,…
- pkginfoExtracts and queries package metadata from source distributions…
- pdm-pep517A PEP 517 build backend that reads PEP 621 project metadata from…
Give your agent the search over MCP, or paste the wish link into any chat.
More Software Development packages
Provides backported and experimental type hints for Python 3.9+, allowing use of newer typing features on older Python versions and enabling early experimentation with type system PEPs before they enter the standard library.
NumPy provides an N-dimensional array object and a comprehensive suite of mathematical, linear algebra, Fourier transform, and random number functions for scientific computing in Python.
FastAPI is a Python web framework for building REST APIs using type hints, with automatic request validation, serialization, and interactive API documentation.
Provides a way to document function parameters, class attributes, return types, and variables inline using Python's `Annotated` type hint syntax instead of traditional docstrings.
Typer builds command-line applications from Python functions using type hints, automatically generating help text, argument parsing, and shell completion.
Install it if you are building CLIs in Python.
Distlib provides low-level packaging utilities for building, distributing, and managing Python software—including metadata handling, version specifiers, wheel support, script installation, and dependency resolution.
See also pkginfo · pyproject-metadata · okonomiyaki · dist-meta · importlib-metadata · entrypoints · check-manifest · check-wheel-contents · scancode-toolkit · build