=head1 NAME

guestfs-python - How to use libguestfs from Python

=head1 SYNOPSIS

 import guestfs
 g = guestfs.GuestFS(python_return_dict=True)
 g.add_drive_opts("disk.img", format="raw", readonly=1)
 g.launch()

=head1 DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents how to call libguestfs from the Python
programming language.  This page just documents the differences from
the C API and gives some examples.  If you are not familiar with using
libguestfs, you also need to read L<guestfs(3)>.

=head2 python_return_dict=True

All new code should construct the handle using:

 g = guestfs.GuestFS(python_return_dict=True)

This indicates that your program wants to receive Python dicts for
methods in the API that return hashtables.

In a future version of libguestfs, this will become the default.

=head2 EXCEPTIONS

Errors from libguestfs functions are mapped into C<RuntimeError>
with a single string argument which is the error message.

=head2 MORE DOCUMENTATION

Type:

 $ python
 >>> import guestfs
 >>> help(guestfs)

=head2 USING PYTHON BINDINGS IN A VIRTUALENV

These bindings are I<not> available in pypi owing to a licensing
problem.  See L<https://bugzilla.redhat.com/1075594> for current
status.

However we do publish a Python distribution for selected stable
versions of libguestfs in L<http://libguestfs.org/download/python>.
You can use it like this:

 pip install http://libguestfs.org/download/python/guestfs-1.XX.YY.tar.gz

=head1 EXAMPLE 1: CREATE A DISK IMAGE

@EXAMPLE1@

=head1 EXAMPLE 2: INSPECT A VIRTUAL MACHINE DISK IMAGE

@EXAMPLE2@

=head1 SEE ALSO

L<guestfs(3)>,
L<guestfs-examples(3)>,
L<guestfs-erlang(3)>,
L<guestfs-golang(3)>,
L<guestfs-java(3)>,
L<guestfs-lua(3)>,
L<guestfs-ocaml(3)>,
L<guestfs-perl(3)>,
L<guestfs-recipes(1)>,
L<guestfs-ruby(3)>,
L<http://libguestfs.org/>.

=head1 AUTHORS

Richard W.M. Jones (C<rjones at redhat dot com>)

=head1 COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2010-2025 Red Hat Inc.