Python Developer Tooling Handbook
Reference
Cookiecutter

Cookiecutter

Cookiecutter is a cross-platform command-line utility that creates projects from templates. It generates project structures by copying template directories and replacing templated variables with user-provided values, supporting any programming language or markup format.

Core Functionality

Template Processing

  • Copies source directory trees and replaces names surrounded by templating tags {{ }} with values from cookiecutter.json
  • Supports variable replacement in file names, directory names, and file contents
  • Uses Jinja2 templating engine for advanced variable processing
  • Handles multiple data types including strings, lists, booleans, and dictionaries

Interactive Configuration

  • Command-line prompts for template variables
  • Default values specified in cookiecutter.json
  • User can accept defaults or provide custom values during project generation
  • Support for conditional prompts and validation

Additional Features

Hooks System

  • Pre-generation hooks for input validation and setup tasks
  • Post-generation hooks for environment initialization, dependency installation, and git repository setup
  • Access to template variables within hook scripts

Advanced Templating

  • Private variables for computed values
  • Choice variables for predefined options
  • Template inheritance for shared configurations
  • Custom Jinja2 extensions and filters

Installation and Usage

Installation 

uv tool install cookiecutter

Basic Usage 

# Generate from local template
cookiecutter path/to/template

# Generate from Git repository
cookiecutter https://github.com/user/template

# Generate with specific branch/tag
cookiecutter https://github.com/user/template --checkout v1.0

Pros

  • Language agnostic template system
  • Cross-platform support for Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • No Python knowledge required for template usage
  • Extensive community template ecosystem
  • Flexible hook system for complex workflows
  • Active maintenance and development

Cons

  • Requires Python runtime for execution
  • Limited interactive CLI features compared to modern generators
  • Template creation requires understanding of Jinja2 syntax
  • No built-in template discovery or marketplace
  • Manual template management and versioning

Learn More

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