NAPALM
NAPALM is a free Python library for connecting to and working with network devices from different vendors through a unified API.
What NAPALM is
NAPALM is a free Python library for connecting to and working with network devices from different vendors through a unified API. Its methods support configuration changes and retrieval of device data. The listed core drivers cover Arista EOS, Cisco IOS, Cisco IOS-XR, Cisco NX-OS, and Juniper JunOS, with additional community-driven drivers available. Configuration operations include replace, merge, compare, commit-confirm, and rollback, though availability varies by platform. Getters can retrieve device facts, configurations, interfaces, BGP neighbors, and environment data, with support varying by driver. For deployment validation, NAPALM can compare live device state against YAML-defined expectations and produce a compliance report. The project identifies integrations with Ansible, SaltStack, and StackStorm. Installation is documented with pip install napalm, which includes the currently available core drivers. Version 5.1.0 and later supports Python 3.9 and later. NAPALM is self-hosted and licensed under Apache-2.0; its documentation advises checking platform-specific caveats before use.
Good
- Core drivers cover five named vendor platforms.
- Supports configuration changes and operational data retrieval.
- Can compare live state with YAML expectations.
- Integrates with Ansible, SaltStack, and StackStorm.
Watch out
- Operation availability varies by platform.
- Data getter support varies by driver.
- Documentation warns of platform-specific caveats.
- Project has no published security advisories or SECURITY.md.
Who it suits
NAPALM suits network engineers and automation teams using Python or frameworks such as Ansible, SaltStack, and StackStorm to manage or validate devices across vendors.
Verdict
NAPALM provides a unified Python interface for network device configuration and data retrieval, with validation and automation-framework integrations. Check driver support and platform caveats for the devices and operations you need.
Plans and prices
From NAPALM's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| NAPALM | Free | Open-source Python library · install with pip · device and driver support varies |
The facts
Each one read from NAPALM's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Community drivers
- NAPALM also supports community-driven drivers in addition to its core drivers.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Configuration and data
- The library provides methods to connect to devices, manipulate configurations, and retrieve data.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Configuration operations
- The documented configuration methods include replace, merge, compare, commit-confirm, and rollback, with availability varying by platform.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Data retrieval
- Documented getters retrieve information such as device facts, configuration, interfaces, BGP neighbors, and environment data, with support varying by driver.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Deployment validation
- NAPALM can compare live device state with YAML-defined expectations and produce a compliance report.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The project documents installation with pip install napalm and states that the package includes all currently available core drivers.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The project README identifies integrations with Ansible, SaltStack, and StackStorm.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- NAPALM is aimed at people automating and validating network devices across multiple vendors through Python and automation frameworks.checked 4 Oct 2026
- License
- The GitHub repository identifies the project license as Apache-2.0.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- NAPALM is a Python library for interacting with network devices from different vendors through a unified API.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Runtime requirement
- The repository README states that NAPALM 5.1.0 and later supports Python 3.9 and later.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Security policy
- GitHub reports that the project has not set up a SECURITY.md file and has no published security advisories.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The README points users to the napalm channel on the network.toCode() Slack team for help.checked 4 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Core device support
- The documentation lists core drivers for Arista EOS, Cisco IOS, Cisco IOS-XR, Cisco NX-OS, and Juniper JunOS.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Platform caveats
- The device support documentation warns users to review platform-specific caveats before using the library.checked 4 Oct 2026
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