textfsm
Python module for parsing semi-structured text into python tables.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need to parse semi-structured text with template-driven rules. TextFSM is stable, dependency-free, permissively licensed, and widely adopted in network automation. The infrequent release cadence reflects maturity rather than abandonment (last commit April 2025), but verify that its template syntax and capabilities match your parsing needs before committing to it.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- A template file matching your text structure is required; TextFSM itself has no external dependencies but you must design or obtain a template for your specific parsing task.
- Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel.
- The package is aging (484 days since last release) but marked Production/Stable and actively maintained—last commit was 2025-04-17 with 1246 repository stars.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive) — Apache License 2.0 is permissive and imposes no restrictions on commercial or proprietary use. Contributors must sign a CLA before patches are accepted.
last release 2025-04-17 (484 days) · last repo commit 2025-04-17 · 1,246 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,526,601 downloads/mo, #3,812 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install textfsm
import textfsm
template = textfsm.TextFSM(open('template.txt'))
result = template.ParseText(text_input)
for row in result:
print(row)- Whether Python 2 support is still active (wheel name suggests py2.py3 compatibility, but classifiers list only Python 3).
- Performance characteristics on large text inputs or complex templates.
What it is and what it does
TextFSM is a Python state-machine engine for extracting structured data from semi-formatted text, originally built at Google for parsing CLI output from networking devices. It takes a template file (which defines parsing rules and state transitions) and raw text input, then returns a list of records containing the extracted data. The template approach lets you reuse the same parser logic across different text sources by swapping templates, and you can apply multiple templates to the same input to generate different views of the data.
The package has no runtime dependencies and installs as a pure Python wheel, making it lightweight and portable. It's classified as Production/Stable and maintained by Google, though releases are infrequent (last update 484 days ago). It's widely used in network automation and system administration contexts where CLI output parsing is common.
Use it for
- Parse network device CLI output (show commands, logs) into structured tables for automation scripts.
- Extract data from system command output (e.g., ifconfig, netstat) for monitoring or reporting.
- Build a reusable template library to parse multiple text formats without rewriting parsing logic.
- Convert semi-structured log files into structured records for analysis or database ingestion.
- Generate different data views from the same text by applying different templates to the same input.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need to parse semi-structured text with template-driven rules.
TextFSM is stable, dependency-free, permissively licensed, and widely adopted in network automation. The infrequent release cadence reflects maturity rather than abandonment (last commit April 2025), but verify that its template syntax and capabilities match your parsing needs before committing to it.
Install
textfsm on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel. The package is aging (484 days since last release) but marked Production/Stable and actively maintained—last commit was 2025-04-17 with 1246 repository stars.
A template file matching your text structure is required; TextFSM itself has no external dependencies but you must design or obtain a template for your specific parsing task.
License in practice
Apache License 2.0 is permissive and imposes no restrictions on commercial or proprietary use. Contributors must sign a CLA before patches are accepted.
Quickstart
pip install textfsm
import textfsm
template = textfsm.TextFSM(open('template.txt'))
result = template.ParseText(text_input)
for row in result:
print(row)Verify before relying
- Whether Python 2 support is still active (wheel name suggests py2.py3 compatibility, but classifiers list only Python 3).
- Performance characteristics on large text inputs or complex templates.
Package facts
| License | Apache License, Version 2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Aging 484 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,526,601 / month, #3,812 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 :: Apache Software LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries |
Evidence: textfsm-2.1.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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