generate_parameter_library

Generate C++ or Python code for ROS 2 parameter declaration, getting, and validation using declarative YAML. The generated library contains a C++ struct with specified parameters. Additionally, dynamic parameters and custom validation are made easy.

TOC

• Killer Features
• Basic Usage
• Detailed Documentation
• FAQ
• Build status

Killer Features

• Declarative YAML syntax for ROS 2 Parameters converted into C++ or Python struct
• Declaring, Getting, Validating, and Updating handled by generated code
• Dynamic ROS 2 Parameters made easy
• Custom user-specified validator functions
• Automatically create documentation of parameters

Basic Usage

1. Create YAML parameter codegen file
2. Add parameter library generation to project
3. Use generated struct in project source code

Create yaml parameter codegen file

Write a yaml file to declare your parameters and their attributes.

src/turtlesim_parameters.yaml

turtlesim:
  background:
    r:
      type: int
      default_value: 0
      description: "Red color value for the background, 8-bit"
      validation:
        bounds<>: [0, 255]
    g:
      type: int
      default_value: 0
      description: "Green color value for the background, 8-bit"
      validation:
        bounds<>: [0, 255]
    b:
      type: int
      default_value: 0
      description: "Blue color value for the background, 8-bit"
      validation:
        bounds<>: [0, 255]

Add parameter library generation to project

package.xml

<depend>generate_parameter_library</depend>

CMakeLists.txt

find_package(generate_parameter_library REQUIRED)

generate_parameter_library(
  turtlesim_parameters # cmake target name for the parameter library
  src/turtlesim_parameters.yaml # path to input yaml file
)

add_executable(minimal_node src/turtlesim.cpp)
target_link_libraries(minimal_node PRIVATE
  rclcpp::rclcpp
  turtlesim_parameters
)

install(TARGETS minimal_node turtlesim_parameters
  EXPORT ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
ament_export_targets(${PROJECT_NAME}Targets HAS_LIBRARY_TARGET)

setup.py

from generate_parameter_library_py.setup_helper import generate_parameter_module

generate_parameter_module(
  "turtlesim_parameters", # python module name for parameter library
  "turtlesim/turtlesim_parameters.yaml", # path to input yaml file
)

Use generated struct in project source code

src/turtlesim.cpp

```c++ #include <rclcpp/rclcpp.hpp> #include <turtlesim/turtlesim_parameters.hpp> // you can also use the deprecated #include “turtlesim_parameters.hpp”

int main(int argc, char * argv[]) { rclcpp::init(argc, argv); auto node = std::make_shared<rclcpp::Node>(“turtlesim”); auto param_listener = std::make_shared<turtlesim::ParamListener>(node);

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Changelog for package generate_parameter_library

0.7.1 (2026-03-22)

0.7.0 (2026-02-22)

• Use a temporary build directory for Python module output (#303)
• Move linters to pre-commit (#298)
• Contributors: Błażej Sowa, Christoph Fröhlich

0.6.0 (2025-12-06)

• Update maintainers for GBP release team (#282)
• Contributors: Nathan Brooks

0.5.0 (2025-06-12)

• Fix generate_parameter_library macro on Windows (#242)
• Contributors: Nathan Brooks, Silvio Traversaro

0.4.0 (2025-01-13)

• Change header install path (#213)
• Contributors: Auguste Bourgois

0.3.9 (2024-10-27)

• Disable cache for program (#218)
• Contributors: Paul Gesel

0.3.8 (2024-03-27)

• use python_install_dir (#178)
• Update CMakeLists.txt (#173)
• Contributors: Christoph Fröhlich, Paul Gesel

0.3.7 (2024-01-12)

• Enable generate_parameter_module through ament_cmake_python (#161)
• Contributors: Paul Gesel

0.3.6 (2023-07-31)

0.3.5 (2023-07-28)

0.3.4 (2023-07-24)

• Add Python support for generate_parameter_library (#110) Co-authored-by: Tyler Weaver <<tyler@picknik.ai>>
• Contributors: Paul Gesel

0.3.3 (2023-04-13)

0.3.2 (2023-04-12)

0.3.1 (2023-02-01)

• Add keyword INTERFACE to fix build error 'ar: no archive members specified' since the generated target is header-only (#93)
• Make it easy for users to override (#92)
• Contributors: Tyler Weaver, light-tech

0.3.0 (2022-11-15)

• Migrate from parameter_traits to RSL (take 2) (#91)
• Contributors: Tyler Weaver

0.2.8 (2022-11-03)

0.2.7 (2022-10-28)

• Standardize cmake (#79)
• Contributors: Tyler Weaver

0.2.6 (2022-09-28)

• Depend on python package (#75)
• Drop requirement for CMake to 3.16 (#73)
• Added -- for ros-args to find (#71)
• Contributors: Michael Wrock, Tyler Weaver

0.2.5 (2022-09-20)

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