Man Page¶

PyArmor is a command line tool used to obfuscate python scripts, bind obfuscated scripts to fixed machine or expire obfuscated scripts.

The syntax of the pyarmor command is:

pyarmor <command> [options]

The most commonly used pyarmor commands are:

obfuscate    Obfuscate python scripts
licenses     Generate new licenses for obfuscated scripts
pack         Pack obfuscated scripts to one bundle
hdinfo       Show hardware information
runtime      Generate runtime package separately

The commands for project:

init         Create a project to manage obfuscated scripts
config       Update project settings
build        Obfuscate all the scripts in the project

info         Show project information
check        Check consistency of project

The other commands:

benchmark    Run benchmark test in current machine
register     Make registration file work
download     Download platform-dependent dynamic libraries

See pyarmor <command> -h for more information on a specific command.

Note

From v5.7.1, the first character is command alias for most usage commands:

obfuscate, licenses, pack, init, config, build

For example:

pyarmor o => pyarmor obfuscate

obfuscate¶

Obfuscate python scripts.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor obfuscate <options> SCRIPT...

OPTIONS

`-O, --output PATH`
	Output path, default is dist
`-r, --recursive`
	Search scripts in recursive mode
`-s, --src PATH`	Specify source path if entry script is not in the top most path
`--exclude PATH`	Exclude the path in recusrive mode. Multiple paths are allowed, separated by “,”, or use this option multiple times
`--exact`	Only obfuscate list scripts
`--no-bootstrap`	Do not insert bootstrap code to entry script
`--no-cross-protection`
	Do not insert protection code to entry script
`--plugin NAME`	Insert extra code to entry script, it could be used multiple times
`--platform NAME`
	Distribute obfuscated scripts to other platform
`--advanced <0,1>`
	Disable or enable advanced mode
`--restrict <0,1,2,3,4>`
	Set restrict mode
`--package-runtime <0,1,2>`
	Save the runtime files as a package or not
`-n, --no-runtime`
	DO NOT generate runtime files

DESCRIPTION

PyArmor first checks whether Global Capsule exists in the HOME path. If not, make it.

Then find all the scripts to be obfuscated. There are 3 modes to search the scripts:

Normal: find all the .py files in the same path of entry script
Recursive: find all the .py files in the path of entry script recursively
Exact: only these scripts list in the command line

If there is an entry script, PyArmor will modify it, insert cross protection code into the entry script.

Next obfuscate all these scripts in the default output path dist.

After that make the Runtime Package in the dist path.

Finally insert the Bootstrap Code into entry script.

The entry script is only the first script if there are more than one script in command line.

Option --src used to specify source path if entry script is not in the top most path. For example:

# if no option --src, the "./mysite" is the source path
pyarmor obfuscate --src "." --recursive mysite/wsgi.py

Option --plugin is used to extend license type of obfuscated scripts, it will inject the content of plugin into the obfuscated scripts. The corresponding filename of plugin is NAME.py. Name may be absolute path if it’s not in the current path, or specify plugin path by environment variable PYARMOR_PLUGIN.

More information about plugin, refer to How to Deal With Plugins, and here is a real example to show usage of plugin Using Plugin to Extend License Type

Option --platform is used to specify the target platform of obfuscated scripts if target platform is different from build platform.

Option --restrict is used to set restrict mode, Restrict Mode

By default the runtime files will be saved in the separated folder pytransform as package:

pytransform/
    __init__.py
    _pytransform.so, or _pytransform.dll in Windows, _pytransform.dylib in MacOS
    pytransform.key
    license.lic

If --package-runtime is 0, they will be saved in the same path with obfuscated scripts as four separated files:

pytransform.py
_pytransform.so, or _pytransform.dll in Windows, _pytransform.dylib in MacOS
pytransform.key
license.lic

If --package-runtime is set to 2, it means the Runtime Package will be in other path, so the Bootstrap Code always makes absolute import without leading dots.

Otherwise when the entry script is __init__.py, it will make a relative import by using leading dots like this:

from .pytransform import pyarmor_runtime
pyarmor_runtime()

EXAMPLES

Obfuscate all the .py only in the current path:
```
pyarmor obfuscate foo.py
```
Obfuscate all the .py in the current path recursively:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --recursive foo.py
```
Obfuscate all the .py in the current path recursively, but entry script not in top most path:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --src "." --recursive mysite/wsgi.py
```

Obfuscate a script foo.py only, no runtime files:

pyarmor obfuscate --no-runtime --exact foo.py

Obfuscate all the .py in a path recursive, no entry script, no generate runtime package:

pyarmor obfuscate --recursive --no-runtime .
pyarmor obfuscate --recursive --no-runtime src/

Obfuscate all the .py in the current path recursively, exclude all the .py in the path build and tests:

pyarmor obfuscate --recursive --exclude build,tests foo.py
pyarmor obfuscate --recursive --exclude build --exclude tests foo.py

Obfuscate only two scripts foo.py, moda.py exactly:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --exact foo.py moda.py
```

Obfuscate all the .py file in the path mypkg/:

pyarmor obfuscate --output dist/mypkg mypkg/__init__.py

Obfuscate all the .py files in the current path, but do not insert cross protection code into obfuscated script dist/foo.py:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --no-cross-protection foo.py
```
Obfuscate all the .py files in the current path, but do not insert bootstrap code at the beginning of obfuscated script dist/foo.py:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --no-bootstrap foo.py
```
Insert the content of check_ntp_time.py into foo.py, then obfuscating foo.py:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --plugin check_ntp_time foo.py
```
Only plugin assert_armored is called then inject it into the foo.py:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --plugin @assert_armored foo.py
```

Obfuscate the scripts in Macos and run obfuscated scripts in Ubuntu:

pyarmor download --list
pyarmor download linux_x86_64

pyarmor obfuscate --platform linux_x86_64 foo.py

Obfuscate the scripts in advanced mode:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --advanced 1 foo.py
```
Obfuscate the scripts with restrict mode 2:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --restrict 2 foo.py
```
Obfuscate all the .py files in the current path except __init__.py with restrice mode 4:
```
pyarmor obfuscate --restrict 4 --exclude __init__.py --recursive .
```

Obfuscate a package and generate runtime files as package:

cd /path/to/mypkg
pyarmor obfuscate -r --package-runtime 2 --output dist/mypkg __init__.py

licenses¶

Generate new licenses for obfuscated scripts.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor licenses <options> CODE

OPTIONS

`-O, --output OUTPUT`
	Output path
`-e, --expired YYYY-MM-DD`
	Expired date for this license
`-d, --bind-disk SN`
	Bind license to serial number of harddisk
`-4, --bind-ipv4 IPV4`
	Bind license to ipv4 addr
`-m, --bind-mac MACADDR`
	Bind license to mac addr
`-x, --bind-data DATA`
	Pass extra data to license, used to extend license type

DESCRIPTION

In order to run obfuscated scripts, it’s necessarey to hava a license.lic. As obfuscating the scripts, there is a default license.lic created at the same time. In this license the obfuscated scripts can run on any machine and never expired.

This command is used to generate new licenses for obfuscated scripts. For example:

pyarmor licenses --expired 2019-10-10 mycode

An expired license will be generated in the default output path plus code name licenses/mycode, then overwrite the old one in the same path of obfuscated script:

cp licenses/mycode/license.lic dist/pytransform/

Another example, bind obfuscated scripts in mac address and expired on 2019-10-10:

pyarmor licenses --expired 2019-10-10 --bind-mac 2a:33:50:46:8f tom
cp licenses/tom/license.lic dist/pytransform/

Before this, run command hdinfo to get hardware information:

pyarmor hdinfo

By option -x any data could be saved into the license file, it’s mainly used to extend license tyoe. For example:

pyarmor licenses -x "2019-02-15" tom

In the obfuscated scripts, the data passed by -x could be got by this way:

from pytransfrom import get_license_info
info = get_license_info()
print(info['DATA'])

Note

Here is a real example Using Plugin to Extend License Type

pack¶

Obfuscate the scripts and pack them into one bundle.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor pack <options> SCRIPT

OPTIONS

`-O, --output PATH`
	Directory to put final built distributions in.
`-e, --options OPTIONS`
	Pass these extra options to pyinstaller
`-x, --xoptions OPTIONS`
	Pass these extra options to pyarmor obfuscate
`-s FILE`	Specify .spec file used by pyinstaller
`--without-license`
	Do not generate license for obfuscated scripts
`--clean`	Remove cached .spec file before packing
`--debug`	Do not remove build files after packing

DESCRIPTION

The command pack first calls PyInstaller to generate .spec file which name is same as entry script. The options specified by --options will be pass to PyInstaller to generate .spec file. It could any option accepted by PyInstaller except --distpath.

Note

If there is one .spec file exists, PyArmor uses this cached one. If option --clean is set, PyArmor will always generate a new one and overrite the old one.

If there is in trouble, make sure this .spec works with PyInstaller. For example:

pyinstaller myscript.spec

If you have a .spec file worked, specified by -s, thus pack will use it other than generate new one

pyarmor pack -s /path/to/myself.spec foo.py

Then pack will obfuscates all the .py files in the same path of entry script. It will call pyarmor obfuscate with options -r, --output, and the extra options specified by --xoptions.

Next pack patches the .spec file so that the original scripts could be replaced with the obfuscated ones.

Finally pack call PyInstaller with this pacthed .spec file to generate the final distributions.

For more information, refer to How To Pack Obfuscated Scripts.

Important

The command pack will obfuscate the scripts automatically, do not try to pack the obfuscated the scripts.

EXAMPLES

Obfuscate foo.py and pack them into the bundle dist/foo:
```
pyarmor pack foo.py
```
Remove the cached foo.spec, and start a clean pack:
```
pyarmor pack --clean foo.py
```
Pack the obfuscated scripts by an exists myfoo.spec:
```
pyarmor pack -s myfoo.spec foo.py
```

Pass extra options to run PyInstaller:

pyarmor pack -e " -w --icon app.ico" foo.py

Pass extra options to obfuscate scripts:

pyarmor pack -x " --exclude venv --exclude test" foo.py

Pack the obfuscated script to one file and in advanced mode:

pyarmor pack -e " --onefile" -x " --advanced" foo.py

If the application name is changed by option -n of PyInstaller, the option -s must be specified at the same time. For example:
```
pyarmor pack -e " -n my_app" -s "my_app.spec" foo.py
```

hdinfo¶

Show hardware information of this machine, such as serial number of hard disk, mac address of network card etc. The information got here could be as input data to generate license file for obfuscated scripts.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor hdinfo

If pyarmor isn’t installed, downlad this tool hdinfo

https://github.com/dashingsoft/pyarmor-core/tree/master/#hdinfo

And run it directly:

hdinfo

It will print the same hardware information as pyarmor hdinfo

init¶

Create a project to manage obfuscated scripts.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor init <options> PATH

OPTIONS

`-t, --type <auto,app,pkg>`
	Project type, default value is auto
`-s, --src SRC`	Base path of python scripts, default is current path
`-e, --entry ENTRY`
	Entry script of this project

DESCRIPTION

This command will create a project in the specify PATH, and a file .pyarmor_config will be created at the same time, which is project configuration of JSON format.

If the option --type is set to auto, which is the default value, the project type will set to pkg if the entry script is __init__.py, otherwise to app.

The init command will set is_package to 1 if the new project is configured as pkg, otherwise it’s set to 0.

After project is created, use command config to change the project settings.

EXAMPLES

Create a project in the current path:
```
pyarmor init --entry foo.py
```
Create a project in the build path obf:
```
pyarmor init --entry foo.py obf
```
Create a project for package:
```
pyarmor init --entry __init__.py
```
Create a project in the path obf, manage the scripts in the path /path/to/src:
```
pyarmor init --src /path/to/src --entry foo.py obf
```

config¶

Update project settings.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor config <options> [PATH]

OPTIONS

`--name NAME`	Project name
`--title TITLE`	Project title
`--src SRC`	Project src, base path for matching scripts
`--output PATH`	Output path for obfuscated scripts
`--manifest TEMPLATE`
	Manifest template string
`--entry SCRIPT`	Entry script of this project
`--is-package <0,1>`
	Set project as package or not
`--restrict-mode <0,1,2,3,4>`
	Set restrict mode
`--obf-mod <0,1>`
	Disable or enable to obfuscate module
`--obf-code <0,1,2>`
	Disable or enable to obfuscate function
`--wrap-mode <0,1>`
	Disable or enable wrap mode
`--advanced-mode <0,1>`
	Disable or enable advanced mode
`--cross-protection <0,1>`
	Disable or enable to insert cross protection code into entry script
`--runtime-path RPATH`
	Set the path of runtime files in target machine
`--plugin NAME`	Insert extra code to entry script, it could be used multiple times
`--package-runtime <0,1,2>`
	Save the runtime files as a package or not

DESCRIPTION

Run this command in project path to change project settings:

pyarmor config --option new-value

Or specify the project path at the end:

pyarmor config --option new-value /path/to/project

Option --manifest is comma-separated list of manifest template command, same as MANIFEST.in of Python Distutils.

Option --entry is comma-separated list of entry scripts, relative to src path of project.

There is a special value clear for --plugin which used to clear all the plugins.

EXAMPLES

Change project name and title:

pyarmor config --name "project-1"  --title "My PyArmor Project"

Change project entries:
```
pyarmor config --entry foo.py,hello.py
```

Exclude path build and dist, do not search .py file from these paths:

pyarmor config --manifest "global-include *.py, prune build, prune dist"

Obfuscate script with wrap mode off:
```
pyarmor config --wrap-mode 0
```
Set plugin for entry script. The content of check_ntp_time.py will be insert into entry script as building project:
```
pyarmor config --plugin check_ntp_time.py
```
Clear all plugins:
```
pyarmor config --plugin clear
```

build¶

Build project, obfuscate all scripts in the project.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor config <options> [PATH]

OPTIONS

`-B, --force`	Force to obfuscate all scripts
`-r, --only-runtime`
	Generate extra runtime files only
`-n, --no-runtime`
	DO NOT generate runtime files
`-O, --output OUTPUT`
	Output path, override project configuration
`--platform NAME`
	Distribute obfuscated scripts to other platform
`--package-runtime <0,1,2>`
	Save the runtime files as a package or not

DESCRIPTION

Run this command in project path:

pyarmor build

Or specify the project path at the end:

pyarmor build /path/to/project

EXAMPLES

Only obfuscate the scripts which have been changed since last build:
```
pyarmor build
```
Force build all the scripts:
```
pyarmor build -B
```
Generate runtime files only, do not try to obfuscate any script:
```
pyarmor build -r
```
Obfuscate the scripts only, do not generate runtime files:
```
pyarmor build -n
```
Save the obfuscated scripts to other path, it doesn’t change the output path of project settings:
```
pyarmor build -B -O /path/to/other
```

Build project in Macos and run obfuscated scripts in Ubuntu:

pyarmor download --list
pyarmor download linux_x86_64

pyarmor build -B --platform linux_x86_64

info¶

Show project information.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor info [PATH]

DESCRIPTION

Run this command in project path:

pyarmor info

Or specify the project path at the end:

pyarmor info /path/to/project

check¶

Check consistency of project.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor check [PATH]

DESCRIPTION

Run this command in project path:

pyarmor check

Or specify the project path at the end:

pyarmor check /path/to/project

banchmark¶

Check the performance of obfuscated scripts.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor benchmark <options>

OPTIONS:

`-m, --obf-mode <0,1>`
	Whether to obfuscate the whole module
`-c, --obf-code <0,1,2>`
	Whether to obfuscate each function
`-w, --wrap-mode <0,1>`
	Whether to obfuscate each function with wrap mode
`--debug`	Do not remove test path

DESCRIPTION

This command will generate a test script, obfuscate it and run it, then output the elapsed time to initialize, import obfuscated module, run obfuscated functions etc.

EXAMPLES

Test performance with default mode:
```
pyarmor benchmark
```
Test performance with no wrap mode:
```
pyarmor benchmark --wrap-mode 0
```
Check the test scripts which saved in the path .benchtest:
```
pyarmor benchmark --debug
```

register¶

Make registration keyfile effect, or show registration information.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor register [KEYFILE]

DESCRIPTION

This command is used to register the purchased keyfile to take it effects:

pyarmor register /path/to/pyarmor-regfile-1.zip

Show registration information:

pyarmor register

download¶

List and download platform-dependent dynamic libraries.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor download <options> PLAT-ID

OPTIONS:

`--list PATTERN`	List available dynamic libraries in different platforms
`-O, --output PATH`
	Save downloaded library to this path, default is PLAT-ID

DESCRIPTION

In some machines maybe PyArmor could not recognize the platform and raise error. For example:

ERROR: Unsupport platform linux32/armv7l

In this case, check all the available prebuilt libraries:

pyarmor download --list

And download armv7 from this list:

pyarmor download --output linux32/armv7l armv7

Filter could be applied to list the platforms, for example:

pyarmor download --list linux32

If the scripts is obfuscated for other platform, the library of target platform need to be downloaded first. For example:

pyarmor download armv5
pyarmor obfuscate --platform armv5 foo.py

runtime¶

Geneate Runtime Package separately.

SYNOPSIS:

pyarmor runtime <options>

OPTIONS:

`-O, --output PATH`
	Output path, default is dist
`-n, --no-package`
	Generate runtime files without package
`-L, --with-license FILE`
	Replace default license with this file
`--platform NAME`
	Generate runtime package for specified platform

DESCRIPTION

This command is used to generate the runtime package separately.

The runtiem package could be shared if the scripts are obufscated by same Global Capsule. So generate it once, then need not generate the runtime files when obfuscating the scripts later.

EXAMPLES

Generate Runtime Package pytransform in the default path dist:
```
pyarmor runtime
```
Not generate a package, but four separate files Runtime Files:
```
pyarmor runtime -n
```

Generate Runtime Package for platform armv7 with expired license:

pyarmor licenses --expired 2020-01-01 code-001
pyarmor runtime --with-license licenses/code-001/license.lic --platform armv7