pythondialog
A Python interface to the UNIX dialog utility and mostly-compatible programs
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need simple dialog boxes in a terminal application and the dialog utility is available on your target system. The package is stable and has no known vulnerabilities. However, its abandoned status means no bug fixes or new features will arrive; use it only for straightforward dialog-based UIs. If you need active maintenance or sophisticated terminal interfaces, consider other options.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires the external dialog utility to be installed on the system; Python 3 or later required.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- However, the package is abandoned—last release was 1722 days ago—and requires the external dialog utility to be installed on the system.
License · maintenance · safety
copyleft license (copyleft) — Licensed under GNU LGPL (copyleft). Any derivative work or modification must also be distributed under a compatible open-source license.
last release 2021-11-26 (1722 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 90,724 downloads/mo, #13,565 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pythondialog
import pythondialog- Whether dialog version 1.3-20210621 or later is readily available in current Linux distributions.
- Current compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.9 (last tested version mentioned in documentation).
- Whether the abandoned status affects real-world usage for stable, simple dialog-based applications.
- Specific widget types and capabilities available through the pythondialog interface.
What it is and what it does
pythondialog wraps the UNIX dialog utility, a command-line tool for generating dialog boxes and simple text-mode interfaces. It lets you build terminal UIs with widgets like message boxes, input fields, menus, and file browsers without writing low-level curses code. The package is a thin Python layer over dialog's command-line interface, so it trades fine-grained control for ease of use and rapid prototyping.
The package is stable and production-ready but abandoned—no releases since 2021-11-26. It has no Python runtime dependencies, only a system requirement for the dialog utility itself. It works with Python 3 or later. If you need sophisticated text-mode interfaces or low-level terminal control, the documentation suggests alternatives for more advanced use cases.
Use it for
- Build simple terminal menus and prompts for shell scripts or command-line tools without learning curses.
- Create interactive setup wizards or configuration dialogs for terminal-based applications.
- Display status messages, confirmations, or input forms in a text-mode environment.
- Prototype quick terminal UIs for system administration or batch processing scripts.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need simple dialog boxes in a terminal application and the dialog utility is available on your target system.
The package is stable and has no known vulnerabilities. However, its abandoned status means no bug fixes or new features will arrive; use it only for straightforward dialog-based UIs. If you need active maintenance or sophisticated terminal interfaces, consider other options.
Install
pythondialog on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. However, the package is abandoned—last release was 1722 days ago—and requires the external dialog utility to be installed on the system.
Requires the external dialog utility to be installed on the system; Python 3 or later required.
License in practice
Licensed under GNU LGPL (copyleft). Any derivative work or modification must also be distributed under a compatible open-source license.
Quickstart
pip install pythondialog
import pythondialogVerify before relying
- Whether dialog version 1.3-20210621 or later is readily available in current Linux distributions.
- Current compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.9 (last tested version mentioned in documentation).
- Whether the abandoned status affects real-world usage for stable, simple dialog-based applications.
- Specific widget types and capabilities available through the pythondialog interface.
Package facts
| License | copyleft license copyleft |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 1,722 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 90,724 / month, #13,565 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/StableEnvironment :: Console :: CursesIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: GNU Library or Lesser General Public License (LGPL)Operating System :: UnixProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: Software Development :: User InterfacesTopic :: Software Development :: Widget Sets |
Evidence: pythondialog-3.5.3-py3-none-any.whl
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