PyYAML
YAML parser and emitter for Python
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. PyYAML is a foundational, production-stable library with no dependencies, broad platform coverage, active maintenance, zero known vulnerabilities, and permissive licensing. Install it whenever your project needs YAML parsing or generation.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Medium install friction due to compiled C extensions, but pre-built wheels cover all major platforms and Python versions.
- Active maintenance with recent commits and no known vulnerabilities.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute PyYAML with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for both open-source and proprietary projects.
last release 2025-09-25 (323 days) · last repo commit 2026-06-17 · 2,933 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,194,612,572 downloads/mo, #15 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pyyaml
from pyyaml import safe_load
data = safe_load('key: value')
print(data)- Performance characteristics for large YAML files or deeply nested structures
- Whether the C extension is automatically used or requires explicit configuration
- Specific extension API capabilities and use patterns
What it is and what it does
PyYAML is a YAML 1.1 parser and emitter for Python that converts between YAML text and Python objects. It handles configuration files, object serialization, and data persistence with support for Unicode, standard YAML tags, and Python-specific tags for arbitrary object representation.
The package has no runtime dependencies and installs via pre-built wheels on all major platforms and Python versions from 3.8 onward. It is actively maintained, widely used (ranked 15th on PyPI), and carries no known security vulnerabilities, making it a stable choice for any project requiring YAML support.
Use it for
- Parse configuration files in YAML format for application startup and settings management
- Serialize Python objects to YAML for human-readable data export and persistence
- Convert between YAML and Python data structures in data processing pipelines
- Store and load complex nested data structures with type preservation
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
PyYAML is a foundational, production-stable library with no dependencies, broad platform coverage, active maintenance, zero known vulnerabilities, and permissive licensing. Install it whenever your project needs YAML parsing or generation.
Install
pyyaml on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled C extensions, but pre-built wheels cover all major platforms and Python versions. Active maintenance with recent commits and no known vulnerabilities.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute PyYAML with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for both open-source and proprietary projects.
Quickstart
pip install pyyaml
from pyyaml import safe_load
data = safe_load('key: value')
print(data)Verify before relying
- Performance characteristics for large YAML files or deeply nested structures
- Whether the C extension is automatically used or requires explicit configuration
- Specific extension API capabilities and use patterns
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.8 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 323 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,194,612,572 / month, #15 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 :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: CythonProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: Text Processing :: Markup |
Evidence: pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-manylinux2014_s390x.manylinux_2_17_s390x.manylinux_2_28_s390x.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-win32.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-manylinux2014_s390x.manylinux_2_17_s390x.manylinux_2_28_s390x.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-win32.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp312-cp312-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; pyyaml-6.0.3-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl
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