Netmiko
Netmiko is a free Python library for automating command-line work with network devices.
What Netmiko is
Netmiko is a free Python library for automating command-line work with network devices. It simplifies SSH connections and also documents supported Telnet device types. The library can gather output from show commands and make configuration changes while handling low-level device state. Examples include running commands such as “show ip int brief” and sending configuration command sets that enter configuration mode automatically.
Its device list spans many vendors, with platforms grouped by regular, limited, or experimental testing status. Regularly tested examples include Arista vEOS, Cisco IOS variants and NX-OS, Juniper Junos, and Linux. Netmiko documents pip installation and API use, and links to guides for secure copy and TextFSM integration. Optional extras support its bulk-encryption CLI and Paramiko 4 compatibility. Netmiko Tools can encrypt sensitive YAML values using Fernet or AES128; its guidance recommends protecting the key and keeping it out of version control. The project uses the MIT license.
Good
- Free plan and MIT license.
- Supports SSH and documented Telnet device types.
- Automates show-command output and configuration changes.
- Regularly tests Linux and major network platforms.
- Documents secure copy and TextFSM integration.
Watch out
- Device support includes limited and experimental testing statuses.
- Optional encryption relies on keeping the key secure.
Who it suits
Netmiko suits network engineers and automation users who want a Python library for issuing commands or changing configurations across supported devices. It is also relevant to users who need Linux among its regularly tested platforms.
Verdict
Netmiko provides a focused way to automate command-line connections and configuration tasks across a broad device list. Check the testing status of the specific platform you need before relying on it.
Plans and prices
From Netmiko's own pricing page, checked 3 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Netmiko | Free | Open-source Python library · MIT license |
The facts
Each one read from Netmiko's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Automation
- It is designed to gather output from show commands and make configuration changes while abstracting away low-level device state handling.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Command execution
- Examples show connecting to a device and executing show commands such as “show ip int brief.”checked 3 Oct 2026
- Configuration changes
- Netmiko’s examples demonstrate sending configuration command sets and automatically entering configuration mode.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Connection protocol
- The project describes itself as simplifying Paramiko SSH connections to network devices.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Contributor requirements
- New device-type contributions need supporting test data before they can be merged into the develop branch.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Credential encryption
- Netmiko Tools can encrypt sensitive values in YAML configuration files using Fernet or AES128, with the key read from NETMIKO_TOOLS_KEY.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Installation and API
- The README documents pip installation and links to API documentation.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Installation and requirements
- The project documents installation with pip, and PyPI lists Python versions 3.10 through 3.14 as classifiers for version 4.8.0.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The examples include TextFSM and Genie parsers, plus device type autodetection using SSH and SNMP.checked 3 Oct 2026
- License
- GitHub identifies the repository license as MIT.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Network automation
- It supports gathering output from show commands and making device configuration changes while abstracting low-level state control.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Optional features
- The package lists optional extras named bulk-encrypt and par4, for the bulk-encryption CLI and Paramiko 4 compatibility, respectively.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Netmiko is a multi-vendor library that simplifies CLI connections to network devices.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Secure copy
- Secure copy is included among the documented Netmiko use cases.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Security guidance
- The encryption documentation recommends Fernet and says to keep the encryption key secure and out of version control.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- The README directs users to GitHub issues for bugs and feature requests and to a Slack #netmiko channel for questions and discussion.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Supported connections
- The project documents device connections over SSH and lists supported Telnet device types.checked 2 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Broad device support
- Its platform list includes regularly tested, limited-testing, and experimental network device platforms.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Device coverage
- The supported platform list includes many vendors, with devices grouped by regular, limited, and experimental testing status.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Linux support
- Linux is listed among the platforms Netmiko regularly tests.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Regularly tested platforms
- Regularly tested platforms include Arista vEOS, Cisco IOS, IOS-XE, IOS-XR, NX-OS, Juniper Junos, and Linux.checked 3 Oct 2026
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