unicon.plugins
Unicon Connection Library Plugins
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are already using unicon or Cisco pyATS for network automation. The active maintenance, permissive Apache 2.0 license, low install friction, and zero known vulnerabilities make it a safe choice. Install only if you need multi-vendor CLI connection support; it is a plugin component and requires unicon as a prerequisite.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires the unicon main package to be installed separately; this is the plugins component only.
- Active maintenance with a release 7 days ago.
- Low install friction as a pure Python wheel with four straightforward runtime dependencies: unicon, pyyaml, PrettyTable, and cryptography.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache 2.0 (permissive) — Apache 2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for most integration scenarios.
last release 2026-08-07 (7 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 325,097 downloads/mo, #7,589 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install unicon-plugins
from unicon.plugins import <platform_plugin>
conn = <platform_plugin>.Connection(host='device_ip', username='user', password='pass')
conn.connect()- Which specific network platforms (IOS, NXOS, etc.) are supported by the current plugin set.
- Whether additional platform plugins require separate installation or are bundled.
- Performance characteristics under high-volume or long-running connection scenarios.
What it is and what it does
Unicon Plugins is the extensible plugin layer for the unicon network device connection library. It provides platform-specific implementations that allow unicon to manage CLI sessions across multiple network device vendors (Cisco and others) through a unified API. The plugins handle vendor-specific quirks, CLI mode transitions, command validation, and error detection—abstracting away the complexity of direct telnet, SSH, or serial connections.
This package is a component of the Cisco pyATS framework and is designed for network engineers and automation developers who need reliable, multi-vendor CLI access without writing low-level expect-like code. It depends on unicon for the core session management, pyyaml for configuration, PrettyTable for output formatting, and cryptography for secure credential handling.
Use it for
- Automate configuration and monitoring tasks across heterogeneous network device fleets with a single API.
- Build network testing and validation scripts that work consistently across different vendor CLI interfaces.
- Integrate network device management into Cisco pyATS test automation frameworks.
- Handle complex CLI mode navigation (enable, configure, admin modes) without manual state tracking.
- Develop custom platform plugins for proprietary or less common network device types.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are already using unicon or Cisco pyATS for network automation.
The active maintenance, permissive Apache 2.0 license, low install friction, and zero known vulnerabilities make it a safe choice. Install only if you need multi-vendor CLI connection support; it is a plugin component and requires unicon as a prerequisite.
Install
unicon-plugins on PyPI
Before you install
Active maintenance with a release 7 days ago. Low install friction as a pure Python wheel with four straightforward runtime dependencies: unicon, pyyaml, PrettyTable, and cryptography.
Requires the unicon main package to be installed separately; this is the plugins component only.
License in practice
Apache 2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for most integration scenarios.
Quickstart
pip install unicon-plugins
from unicon.plugins import <platform_plugin>
conn = <platform_plugin>.Connection(host='device_ip', username='user', password='pass')
conn.connect()Verify before relying
- Which specific network platforms (IOS, NXOS, etc.) are supported by the current plugin set.
- Whether additional platform plugins require separate installation or are bundled.
- Performance characteristics under high-volume or long-running connection scenarios.
Package facts
| License | Apache 2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 4 packagesuniconpyyamlPrettyTablecryptography |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 7 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 325,097 / month, #7,589 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/StableDevelopment Status :: 6 - MatureEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Information TechnologyIntended Audience :: System AdministratorsIntended Audience :: Telecommunications IndustryLicense :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software LicenseOperating System :: MacOSOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonTopic :: Software Development :: Build ToolsTopic :: Software Development :: LibrariesTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: Software Development :: Testing |
Evidence: unicon_plugins-26.7-py3-none-any.whl
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See also unicon · pyats.connections · netmiko · rest.connector · pyats.contrib · yang.connector · catalystwan · pyats.topology · cua-computer · genie.trafficgen