---
id: pytest-item-dict
version: "1.3.7"
license: Dual License: All software and documentation is distributed under "BSD 3-Clause License" AND "Mozilla Public License Version 2.0" ================================== Copyright (c) 2024, Adam Nogowski… (full text in the JSON record)
license_treatment: unclear
maintenance: active
---

# pytest-item-dict — Get a hierarchical dict of session.items

License: unclear · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 177.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

pytest-item-dict is a pytest plugin that transforms flat test collections into hierarchical dictionaries reflecting the directory, module, class, and function structure of your test suite. It provides two main dictionaries: collect_dict (populated after collection with test counts) and test_dict (populated during the run with outcomes, durations, and aggregated result counts). Every parent node automatically receives a @counts dict summing the outcomes of all leaf tests beneath it (passed, failed, skipped, executed, unexecuted, total) and optional @total_duration aggregates.

The plugin self-registers via the pytest11 entry point and requires no conftest changes for basic use. Access the hierarchies from any pytest hook via the plugin manager. Configuration options in pytest.ini or pyproject.toml let you control marker annotation, outcome recording, duration tracking, setup/teardown phase recording, and whether counts and durations bubble up through parent nodes. It is designed for test reporting, JSON export, and introspection of test structure and results during or after a run.

Use it for:

- Export test results as hierarchical JSON for custom reporting or CI/CD integration
- Aggregate pass/fail/skip counts at the suite, module, or class level for summary dashboards
- Track per-test and per-node execution time to identify slow test suites or bottlenecks
- Inspect test collection structure programmatically from pytest hooks to validate test organization
- Generate HTML or XML reports that preserve the hierarchical structure of your test suite

## Worth the install?

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

A pytest plugin that builds hierarchical dictionaries mirroring the test collection tree, tracking test outcomes, durations, and aggregated counts across directory, module, class, and function levels.

Yes. This is a focused, low-friction pytest plugin with active maintenance, no security vulnerabilities, and a dual permissive license. Install it if you need hierarchical test result aggregation, JSON export of test structure, or programmatic access to test outcomes grouped by suite/module/class. The Python >= 3.11 requirement is the only real constraint; if your project targets older Python, it won't work.

## Install

pip install pytest-item-dict
uv add pytest-item-dict
poetry add pytest-item-dict

## Installing pytest-item-dict

Before you install: Low friction install with a single runtime dependency on pytest. Active maintenance with a recent release; repository is not archived and receives commits.

License in practice: Dual-licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Mozilla Public License 2.0. Both are permissive open-source licenses; you may use, modify, and distribute under either license's terms.

Quickstart:

pip install pytest-item-dict

# conftest.py
from pytest_item_dict.plugin import ItemDictPlugin, ITEM_DICT_PLUGIN_NAME

def pytest_collection_finish(session):
    plugin = session.config.pluginmanager.get_plugin(name=ITEM_DICT_PLUGIN_NAME)
    if plugin:
        collect_hierarchy = plugin.collect_dict.hierarchy

Requires Python >= 3.11 and pytest >= 8.3.0

Verify before relying:

- Whether the plugin's performance impact is acceptable for large test suites with thousands of tests
- Real-world usage patterns and adoption beyond the top-15000 PyPI tier

## Package facts

- License: Dual License: All software and documentation is distributed under "BSD 3-Clause License" AND "Mozilla Public License Version 2.0" ================================== Copyright (c) 2024, Adam Nogowski… (full text in the JSON record) (unclear)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 177.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

pytest test hierarchy dict, pytest collection tree structure, pytest session items hierarchy, pytest test results aggregation, pytest outcome tracking plugin, pytest test reporting dict, hierarchical test collection, pytest-plugin, test-reporting, hierarchical-results

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