# Where Are the NETCONF/YANG Tools?

DevFeed: [Where Are the NETCONF/YANG Tools?](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/where-are-the-netconf-yang-tools-11201.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.ipspace.net/2025/06/netconf-tooling/>)

Published: 2025-06-04T05:38:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [ipSpace.net blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/ipspace-net-blog.md>)

Topics: [NETCONF](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/netconf.md>), [Tooling](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/tooling.md>), [Network](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/network.md>), [Automation](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/automation.md>), [XML](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/xml.md>)

Tags: [netconf](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/netconf.md>), [network](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network.md>), [network-automation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network-automation.md>), [tooling](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tooling.md>), [xml](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/xml.md>)

## AI overview

The article examines difficulties finding reliable, current tooling for NETCONF/YANG network-device configuration and model inspection. It discusses ncclient's incomplete documentation, abandoned or outdated YANG tools, installation problems on modern Python versions, and the challenges of using Docker-based tooling. It mentions pyang as a possible tool and asks readers to recommend maintained alternatives.

## Source excerpt

Jo attempted to follow the vendor Kool-Aid recommendations and use NETCONF/YANG to configure network devices. Here's what he found (slightly edited): IMHO, the whole NETCONF ecosystem primarily suffers from a tooling problem. Or I haven't found the right tools yet. ncclient is (as you mentioned somewhere else) an underdocumented mess. And that undocumented part is not even up to date. The commit hash at the bottom of the docs page is from 2020... I am amazed how so many people got it working well enough to depend on it in their applications. Read more ...