---
id: shellcheck-py
version: "0.11.0.1"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# shellcheck-py — Python wrapper around invoking shellcheck (https://www.shellcheck.net/)

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 4.9M/mo

## What it is and what it does

shellcheck-py wraps shellcheck as a Python package, downloading and installing a pre-built binary for your platform so you can use it without a separate system dependency. After installation, the shellcheck command is available directly in your environment, making it easy to integrate into Python-based workflows and CI/CD pipelines.

The package is designed for developers who want shellcheck available as a pip dependency rather than managing it through system package managers. It supports macOS (both Intel and ARM), Linux, and Windows, and integrates cleanly with pre-commit hooks for automated linting in version control workflows.

Use it for:

- Lint scripts in CI/CD pipelines without requiring system-level installation.
- Set up pre-commit hooks to automatically check scripts for common errors before commits.
- Include as a development dependency in Python projects that also contain shell scripts.
- Run on Windows where native shell tooling is less common.
- Ensure consistent script quality across macOS and Linux development environments.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides a pip-installable shellcheck binary that works across macOS, Linux, and Windows without requiring a separate system installation.

Yes, if you need shellcheck in a Python environment or CI/CD pipeline and want to avoid system package management. The package is actively maintained, has no runtime dependencies, and carries permissive licensing. Medium install friction from platform-specific binaries is a minor trade-off for convenience. Not worth installing if you already have shellcheck available system-wide and don't need it as a Python dependency.

## Install

pip install shellcheck-py
uv add shellcheck-py
poetry add shellcheck-py

## Installing shellcheck-py

Before you install: Medium install friction due to platform-specific binary downloads, but the package is actively maintained with recent releases and no runtime dependencies to manage.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive; you can use this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install shellcheck-py
shellcheck script.sh

Requires Python 3.9 or later; the binary is downloaded during installation and must match your platform (macOS x86_64, macOS ARM64, Linux x86_64, or Windows x86_64).

Verify before relying:

- Whether the pre-built binary includes all upstream features and matches the latest release.
- Support for platforms beyond the four listed wheel distributions (e.g., Linux ARM, Alpine).
- How frequently the bundled binary is updated relative to upstream releases.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 4.9M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

shell script linting, shellcheck pip install, script syntax validation, cross-platform shellcheck, pre-commit shellcheck hook, shell code quality, linting tool, shell-linting, pre-commit-hook, cross-platform

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