xlwings Lite

xlwings Lite brings the VBA experience into the modern age by offering a privacy-first, secure, and developer-friendly way to automate Excel and write custom functions with Python.

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  • Free & easy to install: Available for free in the Office add-in store for both personal and commercial use. No registration or login required, simply install and create amazing things!

  • Cross-platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Excel for the web. It’s compatible with Microsoft 365 as well as perpetual versions (Office 2021 and later).

  • No Python installation required: You don’t need to have Python installed as Python runs inside the browser that powers modern Excel add-ins (using WebAssembly via Pyodide).

  • Easy distribution: Python code is stored inside the workbook, making the xlwings Lite add-in the only requirement to run your workbook.

  • Custom functions & scripts: Define native custom functions (a.k.a. user-defined functions “UDFs”) and run automation scripts by clicking a button.

  • Excel object model: Access the Excel object model to insert a new sheet, format an Excel range as table, set the color of a cell, etc.

  • Install packages: Install and use libraries like pandas, Polars, DuckDB, or even your own custom Python packages.

  • Web API access: Fetch data from APIs that support CORS.

  • Lightning-fast: All code runs locally on your machine, eliminating network latency and delivering lightning-fast performance!

  • Fully local & private: Runs entirely on your computer without sending data out. The only exception is Microsoft’s mandatory telemetry, which you can eliminate through self-hosting.

  • Familiar & powerful editor: xlwings Lite uses the same editor as VS Code, supporting many of the same keyboard shortcuts to make you more efficient.

  • Self-hosting: For maximum security, you can deploy xlwings Lite on your own infrastructure, behind your firewall (“on-premise installation”).

  • Works offline: xlwings Lite only requires a network connection for loading the add-in. Once loaded, xlwings Lite works offline.