pydot-ng
Python interface to Graphviz's Dot
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need a stable Graphviz interface for an existing or legacy project and are comfortable with an unmaintained package. The low install friction and permissive MIT license make it accessible, and it has no known vulnerabilities. No, if you are starting a new project—consider an actively maintained alternative, as pydot-ng will not receive updates for Python version changes or Graphviz compatibility issues.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Graphviz must be installed on your system to render graphs into output formats; pydot-ng only handles the programmatic interface to Dot.
- Installation is straightforward with low friction—only one runtime dependency (pyparsing).
- However, the package is abandoned as of 2018 with no recent maintenance, so expect no bug fixes or updates for new Python versions.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive, allowing use in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2018-10-16 (2859 days) · last repo commit 2018-11-19 · 24 stars · archived
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 210,219 downloads/mo, #9,501 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pydot-ng
import pydot_ng as pydot
graph = pydot.Dot(graph_type='digraph')
graph.add_node(pydot.Node('A'))
print(graph.to_string())- Whether the package works reliably with Python versions beyond 3.7 despite being unmaintained.
- Current compatibility with modern Graphviz releases and whether API changes in Graphviz affect pydot-ng functionality.
What it is and what it does
pydot-ng is a Python wrapper around Graphviz's Dot language that lets you build, parse, and manipulate graph definitions programmatically. It bridges Python code and Graphviz, so you can create complex graph structures in Python and output them as Dot files or render them through Graphviz into images, PDFs, or other formats. The package depends only on pyparsing for parsing Dot syntax.
The package is API-compatible with the original pydot, so existing code can often switch to pydot-ng as a drop-in replacement. However, it has been abandoned since 2018 with no active maintenance, meaning no updates for newer Python versions or Graphviz changes. It remains useful for stable, legacy projects but carries risk for new development.
Use it for
- Generate Graphviz Dot files programmatically from Python to visualize directed or undirected graphs.
- Parse existing Dot files into Python data structures for analysis or modification.
- Create flowcharts, state diagrams, or network topology visualizations from Python code.
- Integrate graph generation into documentation or reporting pipelines that feed into Graphviz rendering.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need a stable Graphviz interface for an existing or legacy project and are comfortable with an unmaintained package.
The low install friction and permissive MIT license make it accessible, and it has no known vulnerabilities. No, if you are starting a new project—consider an actively maintained alternative, as pydot-ng will not receive updates for Python version changes or Graphviz compatibility issues.
Install
pydot-ng on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with low friction—only one runtime dependency (pyparsing). However, the package is abandoned as of 2018 with no recent maintenance, so expect no bug fixes or updates for new Python versions.
Graphviz must be installed on your system to render graphs into output formats; pydot-ng only handles the programmatic interface to Dot.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive, allowing use in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install pydot-ng
import pydot_ng as pydot
graph = pydot.Dot(graph_type='digraph')
graph.add_node(pydot.Node('A'))
print(graph.to_string())Verify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably with Python versions beyond 3.7 despite being unmaintained.
- Current compatibility with modern Graphviz releases and whether API changes in Graphviz affect pydot-ng functionality.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagepyparsing |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,859 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | repository archived |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 210,219 / month, #9,501 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 :: Science/ResearchLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: VisualizationTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: pydot_ng-2.0.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also GvGen · pydot · pydotplus · graphviz · pygraphviz · markdown-graphviz-inline · gprof2dot · markdown-inline-graphviz-extension · torchviz · blockdiag