python-xmp-toolkit
XMP I/O wrapping Exempi
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need XMP metadata access and Exempi is available on your system. The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has low install friction. However, the aging maintenance status (261 days since last release) and the hard dependency on a native C library mean you should verify Exempi availability in your deployment environment and confirm Python version compatibility before committing to it in production.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Exempi (a C/C++ library) to be installed on the system; the Python package is a ctypes wrapper and cannot function without the underlying native library.
- Low friction installation with a single runtime dependency (pytz).
- The package is marked as aging—last release was 261 days ago—but the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2025-11-26, suggesting maintenance is sporadic rather than abandoned.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — Licensed under a permissive BSD license, allowing use in both open-source and proprietary projects without copyleft obligations.
last release 2025-11-26 (261 days) · last repo commit 2025-11-26 · 102 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 97,680 downloads/mo, #13,133 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install python-xmp-toolkit
import python_xmp_toolkit
# See documentation at python-xmp-toolkit.readthedocs.org for usage examples- Which file formats are supported for XMP metadata reading and writing.
- Whether the package works with modern Python versions (requires_python is unspecified).
- Current test coverage and whether the test suite passes on recent Python releases.
- Specific API methods and usage patterns for reading and writing metadata.
What it is and what it does
Python XMP Toolkit is a ctypes wrapper around Exempi, a C/C++ library for working with XMP metadata. It allows you to read and write XMP metadata embedded in various file formats. The library is developed by ESA/Hubble, ESO, and CRS4, and it ties Python code to Adobe's XMP standard through Exempi, ensuring that XMP standard updates can be incorporated with minimal effort.
The package depends only on pytz at runtime and installs as a pure Python wheel, but it requires the Exempi C library to be present on your system to function. The codebase has been stable since its first release in 2012, though releases are infrequent; the repository remains active and the package is marked as production-stable.
Use it for
- Extract metadata from image files in batch processing workflows.
- Embed or update XMP tags in photos during digital asset management operations.
- Read custom XMP properties from documents to integrate metadata into cataloging systems.
- Automate metadata synchronization between XMP-aware applications and external systems.
- Validate XMP metadata in media archives or publishing workflows.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need XMP metadata access and Exempi is available on your system.
The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has low install friction. However, the aging maintenance status (261 days since last release) and the hard dependency on a native C library mean you should verify Exempi availability in your deployment environment and confirm Python version compatibility before committing to it in production.
Install
python-xmp-toolkit on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with a single runtime dependency (pytz). The package is marked as aging—last release was 261 days ago—but the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2025-11-26, suggesting maintenance is sporadic rather than abandoned.
Requires Exempi (a C/C++ library) to be installed on the system; the Python package is a ctypes wrapper and cannot function without the underlying native library.
License in practice
Licensed under a permissive BSD license, allowing use in both open-source and proprietary projects without copyleft obligations.
Quickstart
pip install python-xmp-toolkit
import python_xmp_toolkit
# See documentation at python-xmp-toolkit.readthedocs.org for usage examplesVerify before relying
- Which file formats are supported for XMP metadata reading and writing.
- Whether the package works with modern Python versions (requires_python is unspecified).
- Current test coverage and whether the test suite passes on recent Python releases.
- Specific API methods and usage patterns for reading and writing metadata.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagepytz |
| Maintenance | Aging 261 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 97,680 / month, #13,133 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 :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: MultimediaTopic :: Software Development :: LibrariesTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: python_xmp_toolkit-2.1.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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