Garmin FIT Python SDK

21.202.0 verified Fri May 01 auth: no python

A Python library for reading and writing FIT (Flexible and Interoperable Data Transfer) files, widely used in Garmin devices and fitness applications. The SDK provides classes to decode FIT files into messages and fields, and to encode custom FIT files. Current version is 21.202.0, with a release cadence that follows Garmin's FIT SDK releases (usually quarterly).

pip install garmin-fit-sdk

Common errors

error ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'garmin_fit' ↓

cause Incorrect import path. The module is 'garmin_fit_sdk' (with 'sdk').

fix

Use 'from garmin_fit_sdk import Decode'.

error AttributeError: 'Decode' object has no attribute 'read' ↓

cause Using a very old version of the SDK (pre-21.x). The API changed.

fix

Install latest version (>=21) and use decoder.read(stream).

error TypeError: cannot unpack non-iterable Decode object ↓

cause Calling decode() without tuple unpacking, but the method returns (messages, errors).

fix

Use messages, errors = decoder.read(stream).

Warnings

breaking The decode method returns a tuple (messages, errors). In older versions (<21.120.0) it returned just messages. Check that your code unpacks correctly. ↓

fix Update to newest version and use messages, errors = decoder.read(stream).

deprecated datetime.utcfromtimestamp is no longer used; replaced by datetime.fromtimestamp with UTC. This may affect timezone-naive timestamps in older code. ↓

fix Upgrade to >=21.178.0.

gotcha The Stream object must be created before Decode. Passing a file path directly to Decode will fail. ↓

fix Always use Stream.from_file() or Stream.from_bytes().

gotcha The Encoder class was added in v21.200.0. Attempting to import Encoder in older versions will raise ImportError. ↓

fix Check version or update to >=21.200.0 if you need encoding.

Imports

Decode

wrong

import garmin_fit_sdk.Decode

correct

from garmin_fit_sdk import Decode

Decode is a class, not a submodule.

Stream
```
from garmin_fit_sdk import Stream
```

Encoder

wrong

from garmin_fit import Encoder

correct

from garmin_fit_sdk import Encoder

All classes are under garmin_fit_sdk.

Quickstart

Basic usage: decode a FIT file and iterate over messages. No authentication needed.

from garmin_fit_sdk import Decode, Stream

# Decode a FIT file
file_path = 'example.fit'
stream = Stream.from_file(file_path)
decoder = Decode()
messages, errors = decoder.read(stream)

print(f"Decoded {len(messages)} messages, errors: {errors}")

# Print some sample data
for msg in messages[:5]:
    print(msg.name)
    for field in msg: