PDM
PDM is a free Python package and dependency manager that supports current PEP standards.
What PDM is
PDM is a free Python package and dependency manager that supports current PEP standards. It resolves dependencies and records a locked set of package versions, artifact hashes, dependencies, and environment markers, normally in a pdm.lock file. It can create projects or initialize existing ones with pyproject.toml, and can use virtual environments or install dependencies in a __pypackages__ directory. PDM supports packages from local paths, direct web URLs, and version-control repositories including Git, Mercurial, Subversion, and Bazaar. It includes a PEP 517 build backend, supports PEP 621 project metadata, and offers plugins and user scripts. Migration imports can use inputs from Pipenv, Poetry, Flit, requirements.txt, and setuptools setup.py. PDM runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Its recommended installation documentation calls for Python 3.10 or higher, while the Python-script installation section says Python 3.9 or higher. It can publish wheel and source distributions to PyPI or another repository.
Good
- Supports dependency locking and project metadata in PEP 621 format.
- Works on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Can import projects from Pipenv, Poetry, Flit, and other inputs.
- Can publish distributions to PyPI or another repository.
Watch out
- Installation guidance gives different minimum Python versions: 3.10 and 3.9.
- PEP 582 support is experimental and opt-in.
Who it suits
PDM suits Python developers who want dependency resolution and lockfiles alongside project setup and metadata management. It also accommodates teams using different operating systems or migrating from several existing project formats.
Verdict
PDM brings project setup, dependency locking, and publishing into a free Python package manager. Check the installation path’s Python requirement, since the guidance differs between sections.
The facts
Each one read from PDM's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Build backend
- PDM can act as a PEP 517 build backend.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Credential storage
- When keyring is available and supported, PDM stores and retrieves package index and upload repository passwords through keyring.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Dependency locking
- PDM synchronizes dependencies using a locked resolution, normally stored in pdm.lock, which records package versions, artifact hashes, dependencies and markers.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Dependency resolution
- PDM provides a dependency resolver described as simple and fast, particularly for large binary distributions.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Environment options
- PDM can use a virtual environment or install project dependencies into a __pypackages__ directory.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Experimental feature
- PEP 582 support is experimental and opt-in, alongside virtual environment management.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Installation cache
- PDM offers an opt-in centralized installation cache.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Installation methods
- The documentation lists installer scripts and installation through Homebrew, Scoop, uv, pipx, pip and asdf.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Lockfile support
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
- Lock formats
- PDM supports its native pdm lock format and experimental PEP 751 pylock format.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Metadata
- PDM supports project metadata in the PEP 621 format.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Migration
- PDM's import command supports Pipenv, Poetry, Flit, requirements.txt and setuptools setup.py project inputs.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Offline installation
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
- Package formats
- wheel,sdistchecked 21 Sep 2026
- Package sources
- PDM can use PyPI and configurable custom package indexes or repositories, with options to verify SSL certificates.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Plugins
- PDM has a flexible plug-in system.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Plugins and scripts
- PDM provides a plug-in system and user scripts.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Private registry auth
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
- Product
- PDM is a Python package and dependency manager that supports current PEP standards.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Project metadata
- PDM supports PEP 621 project metadata.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Project setup
- PDM can create a new project or initialize an existing one with a pyproject.toml file.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Publishing
- The pdm publish command builds a wheel and source distribution and uploads them to PyPI by default, and can target another repository.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- PDM is a Python package and dependency manager that supports current PEP standards.checked 3 Oct 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 21 Sep 2026
