pybind11

Seamless operability between C++11 and Python

pybind11 Permissive license BSD-3-Clause Active ★ 17,991 v3.1.0 released 2026-08-06

Install

pybind11 on PyPI

pip

pip install pybind11

uv

uv add pybind11

poetry

poetry add pybind11

Package facts

License	BSD-3-Clause (permissive)
Python support	supports the current Python release (>=3.9)
Install friction	low — pure-Python wheel
Runtime dependencies	none
Maintenance	actively maintained — 7 days since the last release
Last repo commit	2026-08-12
First released	2015-10-15
Popularity	one of the top 1,000 most-downloaded packages on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-13)
Known vulnerabilities	none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-13)

Evidence: pybind11-3.1.0-py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: C++11, Python bindings

Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersProgramming Language :: C++Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.15Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: Utilities

About pybind11

from the package's own PyPI description — quoted content, verbatim

.. figure:: https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/raw/master/docs/pybind11-logo.png :alt: pybind11 logo

pybind11 (v3) — Seamless interoperability between C++ and Python

Setuptools example <https://github.com/pybind/python_example> • Scikit-build example <https://github.com/pybind/scikit_build_example> • CMake example <https://github.com/pybind/cmake_example>_

.. start

pybind11 is a lightweight header-only library that exposes C++ types in Python and vice versa, mainly to create Python bindings of existing C++ code. Its goals and syntax are similar to the excellent Boost.Python <http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_58_0/libs/python/doc/>_ library by David Abrahams: to minimize boilerplate code in traditional extension modules by inferring type information using compile-time introspection.

The main issue with Boost.Python—and the reason for creating such a similar project—is Boost. Boost is an enormously large and complex suite of utility...

Read as markdown · JSON record · Source repository · Homepage · Docs

AI interpretation — verify before relying

AI-generated interpretation of the package facts above; every digit, version, license, or vulnerability id it cites is grounded in the facts already shown on this page

pybind11 is a lightweight header-only C++ library that creates Python bindings for C++ code, mapping C++ types, functions, classes, and STL containers to Python with minimal boilerplate.

Installation is straightforward with low friction—pybind11 ships as a wheel with no runtime dependencies, and the project maintains active development with a release 7 days old.

BSD-3-Clause is a permissive license that allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; you must include the license text and attribution.

Usage

pip install pybind11==3.1.0

import pybind11
print(pybind11.get_cmake_dir())

Requires Python 3.9+; binding code itself requires a C++ compiler and build toolchain (setuptools, scikit-build, or CMake).

Verdict: pybind11 is a mature, actively maintained library with no known vulnerabilities and broad Python version support (3.9–3.15). It is the standard choice for creating Python bindings from C++ code, offering a lightweight alternative with significantly smaller binaries and faster compile times than comparable solutions.

Needs verification

GitHub star count and exact repository metrics beyond maintenance status.
Whether the package includes pre-built bindings or requires end-user C++ compilation for typical use cases.
Performance characteristics and memory overhead compared to direct C extensions or ctypes.
Compatibility guarantees with PyPy 3.7.17+ and GraalPy 24.1+ beyond the stated support.

C++ Python bindingsC++ to Python wrapperPython C++ interopcreate Python bindings C++C++11 Python extensionheader-only binding libraryC++ type mapping Python