---
id: rospkg
version: "1.6.1"
license: BSD
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# rospkg — ROS package library

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 514.0K/mo

## What it is and what it does

rospkg is a standalone Python library that lets you interact with the ROS package system without needing a full ROS installation. It handles ROS package metadata, filesystem lookups, and package discovery by parsing package.xml files and navigating the ROS package directory structure. The library depends on catkin-pkg for core package handling, PyYAML for manifest parsing, and distro for system information.

Typical use is in tools, scripts, or applications that need to query ROS package information, locate packages on disk, or inspect package metadata programmatically. It's useful when you want ROS package introspection capabilities in a lightweight, standalone context rather than within a full ROS environment.

Use it for:

- Query ROS package metadata and dependencies from Python without a full ROS installation
- Locate ROS packages on the filesystem and inspect their package.xml manifests
- Build tools or scripts that need to understand ROS package structure and organization
- Integrate ROS package discovery into CI/CD pipelines or build systems

## Worth the install?

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

Provides Python access to ROS package metadata and filesystem operations without requiring a full ROS installation.

Yes, if you need ROS package introspection in Python outside a full ROS environment. The low install friction, permissive license, and active repository make it a safe choice. No known vulnerabilities. Install it if your workflow involves ROS packages and you want programmatic access to their metadata.

## Install

pip install rospkg
uv add rospkg
poetry add rospkg

## Installing rospkg

Before you install: Low friction install with three runtime dependencies. Maintenance status is aging—last commit was 2025-12-18 and the package has been released since 2011-08-18, but the repository remains active and not archived.

License in practice: BSD license is permissive; you can use this package in commercial and proprietary projects with minimal restrictions, provided you retain the license notice.

Quickstart:

pip install rospkg

import rospkg
rospack = rospkg.RosPack()
package_path = rospack.get_path('package_name')

Requires Python >=3.6

Verify before relying:

- Whether this package works standalone or requires a ROS environment to be present on the system
- Scope of ROS package operations supported (e.g., dependency resolution, manifest parsing, package discovery limits)

## Package facts

- License: BSD (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 514.0K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

ROS package metadata, ROS package system library, parse ROS package.xml, ROS package discovery, ROS filesystem utilities, ros, package-management

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/rospkg) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/rospkg/)