---
id: pyats-aetest
version: "26.7"
license: Apache 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# pyats.aetest — pyATS AEtest: Testscript Engine

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 295.8K/mo

## What it is and what it does

pyats.aetest is the test execution engine within the broader pyATS ecosystem, a Cisco-developed testing platform designed for data-driven and reusable test automation. It provides a framework for writing test scripts that can scale from simple linear cases to large, complex asynchronous test suites, with built-in support for test templating and script definition.

The package integrates with other pyATS components (results, logging, reporting, datastructures, utilities) and external libraries (PyYAML, Jinja2, prettytable) to deliver test execution, result tracking, and formatted output. It is actively maintained, supports current Python versions (3.9–3.14), and is distributed as pre-built wheels for macOS and Linux.

Use it for:

- Write and execute data-driven network or infrastructure test scripts that scale from simple to complex asynchronous scenarios.
- Define reusable test templates and scripts for rapid, iterative test development in agile environments.
- Integrate test execution with pyATS result tracking and reporting for centralized test outcome management.
- Automate testing workflows on Linux or macOS systems where Windows is not a requirement.
- Build test suites that leverage Jinja2 templating and YAML configuration for parameterized test cases.

## Worth the install?

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

pyats.aetest is the test script engine component of pyATS, providing a framework for defining and executing data-driven test cases with support for linear to complex asynchronous test suites.

Yes, if you are building test automation on Linux or macOS and want a mature, actively maintained framework for data-driven testing. The Apache 2.0 license and broad Python version support (3.9–3.14) are favorable. Medium install friction is acceptable for a multi-component testing platform. Not suitable if you require Windows support.

## Install

pip install pyats-aetest
uv add pyats-aetest
poetry add pyats-aetest

## Installing pyats.aetest

Before you install: Medium install friction due to 8 runtime dependencies including pyats subcomponents and external libraries. Active maintenance with a release 7 days ago. Supports Python 3.9–3.14 across macOS, Linux, and ARM architectures with pre-built wheels.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache 2.0 (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions. No copyleft obligations.

Quickstart:

pip install pyats.aetest

from pyats.aetest import testscript

@testscript
def my_test(testbed):
    pass

Requires Python 3.8 or later. Linux and macOS only; Windows is not supported.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the 8 runtime dependencies (including pyats.results, pyats.log, pyats.aereport, etc.) are all necessary for basic test script execution or if some are optional.
- Specific test execution capabilities and assertion/reporting features beyond the framework structure.

## Package facts

- License: Apache 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 295.8K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

test script framework, data-driven testing, test execution engine, agile test automation, network testing framework, reusable test templates, asynchronous test suites, test-automation, data-driven-testing, network-testing

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