bip-utils

2.12.1 · active · verified Thu Apr 16

bip-utils is an active Python library (current version 2.12.1) for generating mnemonics, seeds, private/public keys, and addresses across various cryptocurrencies, implementing standards like BIP-0039, BIP-0032, BIP-0044, BIP-0049, and BIP-0084. It sees frequent minor releases, adding support for new coins and improving existing functionalities.

Common errors

```
NameError: name 'NeoAddrEncoder' is not defined
```
cause The `NeoAddrEncoder` class was renamed to `NeoLegacyAddrEncoder` in `bip-utils` v2.10.0.

fix Change `from bip_utils import NeoAddrEncoder` to `from bip_utils import NeoLegacyAddrEncoder` and update all usages of `NeoAddrEncoder` in your code.
```
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'ed25519_blake2b'
```
cause The `ed25519-blake2b` dependency was replaced by `ed25519-blake2b-fork` in `bip-utils` v2.12.1.

fix Ensure your `bip-utils` installation is up-to-date (`pip install --upgrade bip-utils`). The new dependency `ed25519-blake2b-fork` should be installed automatically.
```
ERROR: Failed building wheel for coincurve
```
cause The `coincurve` package requires specific C/C++ compilation tools that are missing on your system.

fix Install the necessary build tools for your operating system. For Debian/Ubuntu: `sudo apt-get install build-essential`. For macOS: `xcode-select --install`. For Windows: Install 'Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools'. Alternatively, you can force `bip-utils` to use `ecdsa` (pure Python, but slower) by setting `USE_COINCURVE = False` in `bip_utils/ecc/conf.py` (after installing `ecdsa` via `pip install ecdsa`) and then reinstall `bip-utils`.

Warnings

breaking The `NeoAddrEncoder` class was renamed to `NeoLegacyAddrEncoder` in `v2.10.0`. Using the old name will result in a `NameError`.
Fix: Replace `NeoAddrEncoder` with `NeoLegacyAddrEncoder` in your code.
breaking The `ed25519-blake2b` dependency was replaced by `ed25519-blake2b-fork` in `v2.12.1`. While this change primarily improved Windows installation by including wheels, direct references or older installations might cause import issues.
Fix: Ensure you are using `bip-utils>=2.12.1` and `pip install --upgrade bip-utils` to get the correct dependency. If encountering compilation issues on Windows, update pip and setuptools or refer to pre-built wheels if necessary.
gotcha Installation of `coincurve` (a default dependency for secp256k1 operations) can fail due to requiring compilation tools (e.g., C++ compiler).
Fix: Ensure you have the necessary build tools installed for your OS (e.g., 'build-essential' on Debian/Ubuntu, 'Xcode Command Line Tools' on macOS, or 'Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools' on Windows). Alternatively, you can disable `coincurve` by setting `USE_COINCURVE = False` in `bip_utils/ecc/conf.py` and then reinstalling the library, which will use the slower pure-Python `ecdsa` library instead.
breaking The generic `Bip32` class was removed and replaced by specific curve-dependent classes (e.g., `Bip32Ed25519Slip`, `Bip32Secp256k1`) starting from `v2.2.0`. Older code using `Bip32` directly will break.
Fix: Migrate to the appropriate curve-specific `Bip32` implementation (e.g., `Bip32Secp256k1.FromSeed(...)`). The BIP-0044, BIP-0049, and BIP-0084 libraries internally handle the correct `Bip32` class based on the coin.

Install

pip install bip-utils Install stable version

Imports

Bip39MnemonicGenerator

from bip_utils import Bip39MnemonicGenerator

Bip39SeedGenerator

from bip_utils import Bip39SeedGenerator

Bip44
```
from bip_utils import Bip44
```
Bip44Coins
```
from bip_utils import Bip44Coins
```
Bip39WordsNum
```
from bip_utils import Bip39WordsNum
```
NeoAddrEncoder
wrong:
```
from bip_utils import NeoAddrEncoder
```
correct:
```
from bip_utils import NeoLegacyAddrEncoder
```
The class 'NeoAddrEncoder' was renamed to 'NeoLegacyAddrEncoder' in v2.10.0 to avoid confusion with new Neo N3 address encoding.

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates generating a 12-word BIP39 mnemonic, converting it into a seed, and then deriving the first external Bitcoin address using BIP44 derivation path standards.

from bip_utils import Bip39MnemonicGenerator, Bip39SeedGenerator, Bip44, Bip44Coins, Bip39WordsNum

# 1. Generate a random BIP39 mnemonic of 12 words
mnemonic = Bip39MnemonicGenerator().FromWordsNumber(Bip39WordsNum.WORDS_NUM_12)
print(f"Generated Mnemonic: {mnemonic}")

# 2. Generate a seed from the mnemonic (optional passphrase)
# For production, use a strong passphrase, or an empty string if none.
# os.environ.get('BIP_MNEMONIC_PASSPHRASE', '')
passphrase = ""
seed_bytes = Bip39SeedGenerator(mnemonic).Generate(passphrase)
print(f"Generated Seed (hex): {seed_bytes.hex()}")

# 3. Derive a Bitcoin (BIP44) address from the seed
bip44_mst_ctx = Bip44.FromSeed(seed_bytes, Bip44Coins.BITCOIN)
bip44_acc_ctx = bip44_mst_ctx.Purpose().Coin().Account(0) # Account 0
bip44_chain_ctx = bip44_acc_ctx.Change(0) # External chain
bip44_addr_ctx = bip44_chain_ctx.AddressIndex(0) # First address

print(f"Bitcoin BIP44 Address: {bip44_addr_ctx.PublicKey().ToAddress()}")

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