---
id: pykmip
version: "0.10.0"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: dormant
---

# PyKMIP — KMIP library

License: permissive · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 229.5K/mo

## What it is and what it does

PyKMIP is a Python library that implements the KMIP (Key Management Interoperability Protocol), an OASIS standard for communicating with key management systems. It allows you to perform cryptographic key operations—create, read, update, delete—and manage related objects like certificates and passwords through a standardized protocol interface.

The library provides client-side KMIP functionality with no external runtime dependencies, making it straightforward to integrate into Python applications that need to interact with KMIP-compliant key servers. However, the project is dormant: the last release was in 2020, and while the repository remains active, there have been no new versions for over 2362 days, which may raise concerns about compatibility with modern Python versions and current KMIP server implementations.

Use it for:

- Integrate a Python application with an enterprise key management system that supports KMIP
- Build a KMIP client to perform key lifecycle operations (create, store, retrieve, rotate keys) programmatically
- Manage cryptographic certificates and passphrases through a standards-based protocol interface
- Develop key management tooling that needs to communicate with OASIS KMIP-compliant servers

## Worth the install?

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

PyKMIP implements the KMIP protocol for managing cryptographic keys and related objects (certificates, passwords, data blobs) with a KMIP-compliant server, supporting the full CRUD lifecycle of key management operations.

Yes, with conditions. PyKMIP is suitable for integrating with KMIP servers in enterprise environments. However, install it only if you need KMIP protocol support and are comfortable with dormant maintenance: verify that version 0.10.0 works with your target Python version and KMIP server before committing to production use. No known vulnerabilities, but the lack of recent releases means compatibility with modern Python versions and current KMIP specs is unverified.

## Install

pip install pykmip
uv add pykmip
poetry add pykmip

## Installing PyKMIP

Before you install: Installation friction is high; the package has no runtime dependencies but has not been actively maintained since 2020-02-25 (dormant status). The last commit was 2024-07-29, but the project has seen no release in over 2362 days, suggesting limited ongoing development.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive). This allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, though you must retain license notices and provide a copy of the license.

Quickstart:

pip install pykmip

import pykmip
# Use PyKMIP to communicate with a KMIP server for key management operations

Requires a KMIP-compliant server to connect to; the library is a client implementation only.

Verify before relying:

- Whether PyKMIP 0.10.0 works reliably with modern Python versions (classifiers list only up to 3.7)
- Current compatibility with actively maintained KMIP servers and protocol versions
- Whether the dormant maintenance status affects interoperability with recent KMIP implementations

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 229.5K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

KMIP protocol implementation, key management interoperability, cryptographic key management, KMIP client library, key lifecycle management, OASIS KMIP, key server communication, key-management, kmip-protocol, cryptography

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