Dependencies for user-scanner: Core Requirements and Optional Extras Explained

The user-scanner CLI requires five core Python packages—httpx[http2], socksio, colorama, curl_cffi, and rich—for asynchronous networking, proxy support, and terminal output, alongside optional extras for PDF reporting and MCP server functionality.

The user-scanner repository by kaifcodec is a pure-Python tool designed for asynchronous user enumeration and web scanning. Understanding the dependencies for user-scanner ensures proper environment configuration and reveals which optional features require additional packages beyond the core runtime.

Core Dependencies for user-scanner

All mandatory dependencies are pinned in requirements.txt and the dependencies array of pyproject.toml. These five packages power the networking, proxy handling, and CLI presentation layers.

• httpx[http2] (>=0.27,<0.29): The asynchronous HTTP client driving all web requests. In user_scanner/core/orchestrator.py, the make_request function relies on this library for concurrent HTTP/2 connections.

• socksio (>=1.0,<2): Provides SOCKS proxy support integrated via the get_proxy function in the same orchestrator module.

• colorama (>=0.4,<1): Enables cross-platform ANSI color handling for terminal output, ensuring consistent display of category headings across Windows and Unix systems.

• curl_cffi (>=0.7,<1): A CFFI-backed libcurl wrapper used in user_scanner/core/impersonate.py for sites requiring browser impersonation and advanced TLS fingerprinting.

• rich (>=13.0.0): Supplies progress bars, formatted console output, and styled logging throughout the scanning engine.

Optional Dependency Extras

user-scanner declares three optional groups under [project.optional-dependencies] in pyproject.toml to enable extended functionality without bloating the core install.

PDF Generation (pdf)

Install with pip install "user-scanner[pdf]". This extra includes:

• reportlab (>=4.0.0): PDF generation engine
• pillow (>=10.0.0): Image processing for embedded graphics
• svglib (>=1.5.0): SVG conversion utilities

These enable the generate_pdf function in user_scanner/core/pdf_generator.py.

MCP Server (mcp)

Requires mcp (>=1.2.0,<2) to run the micro-service server implementation found in user_scanner/mcp/server.py. Install via pip install "user-scanner[mcp]".

Development Tools (dev)

Includes pytest, pytest-cov, pytest-anyio, and anyio[trio] for running the test suite in the tests/ directory. Install with pip install -e ".[dev]" for editable development installs.

Installation and Usage Examples

Install the core package from source:

git clone https://github.com/kaifcodec/user-scanner.git
cd user-scanner
pip install -r requirements.txt

Install with PDF support:

pip install "user-scanner[pdf]"

Basic Python usage utilizing the core dependencies:

from user_scanner.core.orchestrator import run_user_full
from user_scanner.core.helpers import ScanConfig

config = ScanConfig(username="example_user")
results = run_user_full("example_user", config)

for r in results:
    print(r)  # Rich-styled output requires the rich dependency

Generate PDF reports (requires the pdf extra):

from user_scanner.core.pdf_generator import generate_pdf

generate_pdf(results, output_path="report.pdf")

How Dependencies Are Used in Source Files

Specific modules isolate imports to optimize performance and prevent loading unused packages:

• user_scanner/core/orchestrator.py: Imports httpx for the make_request coroutine and uses socksio for proxy routing via get_proxy. This file represents the central networking engine.

• user_scanner/core/impersonate.py: Conditionally imports curl_cffi for sites blocking standard HTTP clients, handling advanced browser impersonation.

• user_scanner/core/pdf_generator.py: Imports reportlab and pillow only when the pdf extra is installed, compiling scan results into formatted documents.

Summary

• Five core packages are mandatory: httpx[http2], socksio, colorama, curl_cffi, and rich
• Three optional extras extend capabilities: pdf for report generation, mcp for micro-service server functionality, and dev for testing
• Version constraints in pyproject.toml and requirements.txt prevent breaking changes from upstream updates
• Heavy dependencies like reportlab are isolated in specific modules (e.g., pdf_generator.py) to keep the core tool lightweight

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum Python version for user-scanner dependencies?

The use of httpx>=0.27 and modern asynchronous syntax in orchestrator.py requires Python 3.8 or higher. The rich library further enforces compatibility with recent Python releases.

Can I run user-scanner without installing curl_cffi?

No, curl_cffi is a mandatory dependency listed in requirements.txt. While httpx handles standard requests, the impersonate.py module requires curl_cffi for sites with advanced bot protection mechanisms.

Why are strict version upper bounds enforced on core dependencies?

Constraints like <0.29 for httpx and <2 for socksio prevent breaking changes from future major version updates. According to the pyproject.toml specification, these bounds ensure the scanning engine remains compatible with tested API surfaces.

How do I install dependencies for contributing to the project?

Clone the repository and install with the dev extra: pip install -e ".[dev]". This installs pytest, pytest-cov, and anyio necessary for running the test suite located in the tests/ directory.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}