Software to automate the management and configuration of infrastructure and applications at scale.
⚡ Executive Summary & Quick Facts
Authoritative Sourcesalt is salt is an open-source project written in Python: Software to automate the management and configuration of infrastructure and applications at scale..
“According to real-time open source telemetry recorded on GitHubRepo.cloud (as of November 2026), saltstack/salt has accumulated 15,727 GitHub stars and 5,606 forks. It is written in Python, licensed under Apache-2.0, and ranks #1,094 globally. It is actively maintained with the latest commit recorded on Oct 28, 2026.”
| Repository | saltstack/salt ↗ |
|---|---|
| Primary Category | cloud |
| Language & Stack | Python |
| Software License | Apache-2.0 |
| Community Traction | ★ 15.7K stars · ⑂ 5.6K forks · #1,094 globally |
| Maintenance | ● Active (Last commit: Oct 28, 2026) · 767 open issues |
| Target Audience | Developers and engineering teams building with Python, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads. |
🛡️ Repository Maintenance & Health Audit (2026)
Health Score: 90/100 · Grade AYes, salt is actively maintained. Continuous telemetry recorded the last code commit on Oct 28, 2026 (17 days ago). Supported by 15,727 stars and 5,606 community forks, this repository holds a calculated health index of 90/100, reflecting regular maintenance (17 days ago) and active community feedback (767 open).
Star History
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+393
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
13
PER DAY
#193
MOST-STARRED Python
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +0 | +393 | +1.2K |
| Per day | 1 | 13 | 13 |
| Forks gained | +0 | +112 | +280 |
salt gained 393 stars in the last 30 days, about 13 a day, and now has 15.7K. It is about 16 years old and has averaged roughly 983 stars a year. It ranks #193 among Python repositories and #1,094 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
14
DAYS ON TRENDING
#6277
BEST RANK
Oct 28, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
salt has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #6277. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
salt is an open-source project written in Python: Software to automate the management and configuration of infrastructure and applications at scale.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in cloud, cloud-management, cloud-providers. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in Python for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ pip install salt⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
Python >= 3.9, pip, virtualenv
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
salt coordinates its core functionality through a modular Python pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed salt into Python backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open Apache-2.0 license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install salt using your package manager: `pip install salt`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for salt.
Import salt into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `salt --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with Python, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
saltstack/salt is currently ranked #1,094 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1,089 | jasmine/jasmine | JavaScript | ★ 15.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,090 | eigent-ai/eigent | TypeScript | ★ 15.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,091 | dgraph-io/badger | Go | ★ 15.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,092 | documenso/documenso | TypeScript | ★ 15.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,093 | avwo/whistle | JavaScript | ★ 15.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,094 | saltstack/salt This Project | Python | ★ 15.7K | |
| #1,095 | open-metadata/OpenMetadata | TypeScript | ★ 15.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,096 | facebook/infer | OCaml | ★ 15.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,097 | apache/hadoop | Java | ★ 15.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,098 | getgrav/grav | PHP | ★ 15.7K | Compare ↗ |
| #1,099 | rust-lang/cargo | Rust | ★ 15.7K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does salt do? +
Software to automate the management and configuration of infrastructure and applications at scale.
Is salt actively maintained in 2026? +
Yes, salt is actively maintained. The latest code push was recorded on Oct 28, 2026 (17 days ago). It holds a calculated Maintenance Health Score of 90/100 (A rating) with 15,727 stars and 767 open issues.
What language is salt written in? +
The primary language is Python. Topics include: cloud, cloud-management, cloud-providers, cloud-provisioning, configuration-management.
How many stars does salt have? +
salt has 15,727 stars and 5,606 forks on GitHub.
How does salt rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 15,727 stars, saltstack/salt is ranked #1,094 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #193 among Python projects.
What license is salt distributed under? +
The repository reports a Apache-2.0 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
