west

What it is and what it does

West is a command-line tool that simplifies managing multiple Git repositories in a single workspace using a declarative YAML manifest file. It reads a manifest (typically named west.yml) that describes which repositories to clone, where to place them, and any metadata needed, then orchestrates Git operations to initialize and update the entire workspace in one step.

You use west init to bootstrap a workspace from a manifest repository, then west update to fetch or refresh all repositories named in the manifest. While designed for the Zephyr RTOS project, west is generic and works with any manifest repository you create. It includes a command-line interface with built-in subcommands and an extension system for adding custom commands without modifying west's source code.

Use it for:

• Initialize and manage a Zephyr RTOS development workspace with a single manifest file.
• Set up a custom multi-repository project structure where repositories are defined in a shared manifest.
• Synchronize all repositories in a workspace to specific revisions or branches via a single west update call.
• Extend west with custom commands for project-specific workflows without forking the tool.
• Clone and organize related Git repositories across macOS, Windows, and Linux in a consistent manner.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

West is a meta-tool for managing multiple Git repositories under a single directory using a manifest file, designed for the Zephyr RTOS project but usable with any manifest-based repository structure.

Yes. West is actively maintained, has low install friction, carries no known security vulnerabilities, and is permissively licensed. Install it if you work with Zephyr RTOS or need a declarative, Git-based multi-repository management tool. The main consideration is whether your workflow benefits from manifest-driven repository orchestration; if you manage only one or two repositories, west adds little value.

Install

west on PyPI

pip install west

uv add west

poetry add west

Installing west

Before you install

Low install friction with a pure Python wheel distribution. Actively maintained as of August 2026 with recent commits and steady development. Supports Python 3.9 through 3.13 across macOS, Windows, and Linux.

License in practice

Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (permissive). You may use, modify, and distribute west freely, including in proprietary projects, provided you include a copy of the license and document any changes to the source.

Quickstart

pip3 install west
mkdir zephyrproject && cd zephyrproject
west init
west update

Requires Git to be installed and accessible on the system PATH, as west orchestrates Git operations for repository cloning and updates.

Verify before relying

• Whether west's extensibility system (custom commands) is documented and stable enough for production use.
• Performance characteristics when managing repositories with hundreds of submodules or very large manifests.

Package facts

Evidence: west-1.5.0-py3-none-any.whl

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