---
id: pyinstaller
version: "6.22.0"
license: GPLv2-or-later with a special exception which allows to use PyInstaller to build and distribute non-free programs (including commercial ones)
license_treatment: copyleft
maintenance: active
---

# pyinstaller — PyInstaller bundles a Python application and all its dependencies into a single package.

License: copyleft · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 12.1M/mo

## What it is and what it does

PyInstaller is a mature Python packaging tool that analyzes your Python script, discovers all its dependencies, and bundles them together with a Python interpreter into a single executable or folder. The resulting package runs on target systems without requiring Python or any modules to be pre-installed. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and handles major packages out-of-the-box through integrated compatibility hooks.

The tool is not a cross-compiler: you must run it on the target platform to build for that platform. It supports Python 3.8-3.15 and includes platform-specific wheels for multiple architectures on Linux, plus Windows and macOS. The project is actively maintained with no known vulnerabilities and has been in development since 2012.

Use it for:

- Distribute a Python CLI tool or desktop application to end users who do not have Python installed.
- Create a standalone executable for Windows, macOS, or Linux from a Python script for easier deployment.
- Bundle a data science application into a single distributable file without requiring users to manage Python environments.
- Package a GUI application for cross-platform delivery without requiring users to manage Python environments.
- Build a standalone tool for system administrators or non-technical users who need to run Python code without a development setup.

## Worth the install?

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

PyInstaller bundles a Python application and all its dependencies into a single standalone executable or folder that runs without requiring a Python interpreter or installed modules on the target system.

Yes. PyInstaller is a mature, actively maintained tool with no known vulnerabilities, broad platform support, and built-in compatibility for major Python packages. The medium install friction (8 dependencies, platform-specific wheels) is offset by its proven track record and active development. Install it if you need to distribute Python applications as standalone executables.

## Install

pip install pyinstaller
uv add pyinstaller
poetry add pyinstaller

## Installing pyinstaller

Before you install: Medium install friction due to 8 runtime dependencies and platform-specific wheels; however, the project is actively maintained (last commit 2026-08-13) with mature status and no known vulnerabilities, making it a stable choice despite the dependency footprint.

License in practice: Licensed under GPLv2-or-later with a special exception permitting use to build and distribute non-free and commercial programs. The copyleft treatment applies to PyInstaller itself, but the exception means you can bundle proprietary code without inheriting GPL obligations on your application.

Quickstart:

pip install pyinstaller
pyinstaller /path/to/yourscript.py

Requires a C compiler (gcc or clang) and zlib development headers on non-Windows platforms; Python 3.10.0 is unsupported; not a cross-compiler—target platform must match build platform.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the 8 runtime dependencies (altgraph, importlib-metadata, macholib, packaging, pefile, pyinstaller-hooks-contrib, pywin32-ctypes, setuptools) introduce any transitive security concerns or version conflicts in your environment.
- Performance characteristics and bundle size overhead for large applications with many dependencies.

## Package facts

- License: GPLv2-or-later with a special exception which allows to use PyInstaller to build and distribute non-free programs (including commercial ones) (copyleft)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 12.1M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

python to executable, bundle python app, standalone python binary, python packaging tool, create exe from python, python application distribution, freeze python script, packaging, distribution, executable-generation

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