---
id: python-glanceclient
version: "4.12.0"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# python-glanceclient — OpenStack Image API Client Library

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 375.4K/mo

## What it is and what it does

python-glanceclient is the official Python client for OpenStack's Glance image service. It provides both a Python module (glanceclient) and a command-line tool (glance) for managing virtual machine images in an OpenStack cloud. The library handles authentication via keystoneauth1, makes HTTP requests through requests, and formats output using PrettyTable. It fully supports the v1 Images API and has ongoing v2 support.

This is a production-stable tool (Development Status 5) maintained by the OpenStack community. It's designed for system administrators and IT professionals integrating image management into OpenStack deployments or automation scripts. The package supports Python 3.10, 3.11, and 3.12 on Linux systems and depends on standard OpenStack and utility libraries.

Use it for:

- Upload, download, and manage virtual machine images in an OpenStack Glance service from Python scripts
- Automate image lifecycle operations (create, delete, update metadata) in infrastructure-as-code workflows
- Query and list available images with filtering and sorting from command-line or programmatically
- Integrate image management into OpenStack orchestration or deployment automation tools
- Retrieve image metadata and properties for compliance, auditing, or inventory management

## Worth the install?

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

Python client library and command-line tool for the OpenStack Images API, providing programmatic access to Glance image management with full v1 API support and in-progress v2 support.

Yes, if you are working with OpenStack infrastructure. This is the official, actively maintained client library for Glance image management. Install friction is low, dependencies are standard OpenStack libraries, and there are no known vulnerabilities. Suitable for production use in OpenStack environments.

## Install

pip install python-glanceclient
uv add python-glanceclient
poetry add python-glanceclient

## Installing python-glanceclient

Before you install: Low install friction with a pure-wheel distribution. Actively maintained with a release within the last 87 days. Depends on standard OpenStack libraries (keystoneauth1, requests) and common utilities (PrettyTable, oslo.utils, oslo.i18n), all of which are well-established.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (permissive). Safe for commercial and proprietary use with standard attribution requirements.

Quickstart:

pip install python-glanceclient

from glanceclient import client
glance = client.Client('2', endpoint='http://glance.example.com', token='your-token')

Requires Python 3.10 or later. Needs a running OpenStack Glance service endpoint and valid authentication credentials.

Verify before relying:

- Whether v2 API support is production-ready or still experimental (description says 'in progress')
- Specific features or operations that differ between v1 and v2 API implementations

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 375.4K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

openstack glance client, openstack images api python, glance image management client, openstack image service client, python glance api bindings, openstack image upload download, glance command line tool, openstack, cloud-infrastructure, image-management

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