Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.10.15
What is pyATS, and how does it relate to Genie?
pyATS (Python Automated Test System) is Cisco's Python framework for testing and validating network devices, the low-level foundation. Genie is the higher-level library on top that provides the APIs and parsers that talk to devices and perform the actual checks.
* Genie supplies parsers and device APIs on top of the pyATS framework, which handles testbeds, connections and test execution. *
The two form layers:
| Layer | Role |
|---|---|
| Genie (library system, top) | APIs to interact with devices, parsers that turn CLI output into structured data, a CLI for querying topology and devices |
| pyATS (framework, bottom) | The test infrastructure: testbed handling, connections, test structure, running tests and reporting results |
Once Genie is installed, it plugs its features into the pyATS framework, so you use them as one tool. That is why they are often named together as "pyATS/Genie".
Cisco built pyATS for internal testing and later released it for free (pip install pyats).
Go deeper:
pyATS & Genie — Cisco DevNet — official introduction and docs hub.
pyats on PyPI — the package and install instructions.