image_transport_py: Python Bindings for ROS 2 Image Transport

Introduction

image_transport_py is a Python package that provides bindings for image_transport. It enables efficient publishing and subscribing of images in Python, leveraging various transport plugins (e.g., raw, compressed). The package allows developers to handle image topics more efficiently and with less overhead than using standard ROS 2 topics.

Usage

The detailed tutorial on image_transport and image_transport_py can be found at: https://github.com/ros-perception/image_transport_tutorials.

Classes

Publisher

A publisher for images.

Methods

• get_topic()

  Returns the base image topic.

• get_num_subscribers()

  Returns the number of subscribers this publisher is connected to.

• shutdown()

  Unsubscribe the callback associated with this Publisher.

• publish(img)

  Publish an image on the topics associated with this Publisher.

CameraPublisher

A publisher for images with camera info.

Methods

• get_topic()

  Returns the base (image) topic of this CameraPublisher.

• get_num_subscribers()

  Returns the number of subscribers this camera publisher is connected to.

• shutdown()

  Unsubscribe the callback associated with this CameraPublisher.

• publish(img, info)

  Publish an image and camera info on the topics associated with this Publisher.

ImageTransport

An object for image transport operations.

Constructor

• __init__(node_name, image_transport="", launch_params_filepath="")

  Initialize an ImageTransport object with its node name, image_transport and launch params file path. If no image_transport specified, the default raw plugin will be initialized.

Methods

• advertise(base_topic, queue_size, latch=False)

  Advertise an image topic.

• advertise_camera(base_topic, queue_size, latch=False)

  Advertise an image topic with camera info.

• subscribe(base_topic, queue_size, callback)

  Subscribe to an image topic.

• subscribe_camera(base_topic, queue_size, callback)

  Subscribe to an image topic with camera info.

Subscriber

A subscriber for images.

Methods

• get_topic()

  Returns the base image topic.

• get_num_publishers()

  Returns the number of publishers this subscriber is connected to.

• get_transport()

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Changelog for package image_transport_py

6.4.2 (2025-10-16)

• Use pybind11 from deb or pixi (#374)
• Contributors: Alejandro Hernández Cordero

6.4.1 (2025-08-25)

6.4.0 (2025-08-22)

• Support lifecycle node - NodeInterfaces (#352)
• Contributors: Alejandro Hernández Cordero

6.3.0 (2025-07-25)

6.2.2 (2025-07-01)

6.2.1 (2025-06-12)

6.2.0 (2025-04-28)

6.1.1 (2025-04-28)

6.1.0 (2024-12-20)

6.0.3 (2024-11-25)

6.0.2 (2024-11-25)

• Add in python3-dev build dependency (#334)
• Contributors: Chris Lalancette

6.0.1 (2024-10-10)

• feat: python bindings for image_transport and publish (#323) Co-authored-by: Alejandro Hernández Cordero <<ahcorde@gmail.com>>
• Contributors: Földi Tamás