Poetry
Poetry is a free tool for managing dependencies and packaging Python projects.
What Poetry is
Poetry is a free tool for managing dependencies and packaging Python projects. It installs and updates declared libraries and maintains a lockfile so project installs can be repeated. Poetry can create distribution builds as source distributions or wheels, then publish projects to PyPI or private repositories. It uses PyPI by default and also supports private sources for finding and publishing packages. Project environments stay separate from the global Python installation, using configured environments or ones Poetry creates. The tool works on Linux, macOS, and Windows and requires Python 3.10 or later. Installation options include pipx, the official installer, or manual setup with pip and venv. Poetry supports plugins, shell completion for Bash, Fish, and Zsh, and custom repository certificates and certificate-based client authentication. It can use a supported system keyring to store repository passwords; otherwise, credentials are kept in an auth.toml file. Dependency resolution may take longer when package metadata is unavailable through the PyPI JSON API.
Good
- Lockfile supports repeatable project installs
- Builds source distributions and wheels
- Publishes to PyPI and private repositories
- Isolates project environments from global Python
- Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows
Watch out
- Requires Python 3.10 or later
- Resolution may take longer when PyPI JSON metadata is unavailable
- Credentials fall back to auth.toml without a supported keyring
Who it suits
Poetry suits Python developers who want dependency management, repeatable installs, and project packaging in one tool. It also fits teams that publish to PyPI or private repositories and need isolated project environments.
Verdict
Poetry brings dependency management, environment isolation, building, and publishing into a free Python tool. Allow for potentially slower resolution when relevant package metadata is unavailable.
The facts
Each one read from Poetry's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Builds
- Poetry can build projects for distribution and supports source distributions and wheels.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Certificate support
- Poetry supports custom certificate authorities and certificate-based client authentication for repositories.checked 2 Oct 2026
- CI use
- For CI, the documentation recommends controlling the Poetry version and says using a locally accessible copy of the installer script can help maintain pipeline stability and control executed code.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Credential storage
- When a supported system keyring is available, Poetry stores and retrieves repository passwords through the keyring; otherwise it falls back to an auth.toml file.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Dependency management
- It installs and updates declared project libraries and provides a lockfile for repeatable installs.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Dependency resolution
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Dependency sources
- Poetry uses PyPI by default and supports private repositories for finding packages and publishing projects.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Environment isolation
- Poetry manages project environments that are isolated from the global Python installation.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Poetry supports plugins that can add or change functionality.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Installation methods
- The documentation describes installation with pipx, the official installer, or manual installation.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Installation options
- The documentation describes installation with pipx, the official installer, or manual installation with pip and venv.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Known limitation
- The documentation says dependency resolution can take time for some dependency sets when package metadata is unavailable through the PyPI JSON API.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Lockfile support
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Package formats
- source distributions,wheelschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Package sources
- Poetry uses PyPI by default and supports private repositories for package discovery and publishing.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Private registry auth
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Publishing
- Poetry can publish projects to PyPI and private repositories.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Publishing API
- The documentation states that Poetry supports the Legacy Upload API for publishing projects.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Poetry manages Python dependencies and packaging, installs and updates declared libraries, provides a lockfile for repeatable installs, and builds projects for distribution.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Python requirement
- Poetry requires Python 3.10 or newer.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Resolver limitation
- Dependency resolution can take time when PyPI package metadata is not available through the PyPI JSON API.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Security guidance
- The installation documentation says Poetry should be installed in a dedicated virtual environment, separate from the project environment it manages.checked 3 Oct 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Platforms
- The documentation says Poetry is multi-platform and aims to work on Linux, macOS, and Windows.checked 3 Oct 2026
