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Install via pip

BullMQ is available as a Python package on PyPI and can be installed using pip: 
pip install bullmq

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Requirements

  • Python: 3.10 or higher
  • Redis: 5.0 or higher (6.2+ recommended for best performance)

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Dependencies

The package automatically installs the following dependencies:
  • redis (6.4.0) - Python Redis client
  • msgpack (1.1.2) - MessagePack serialization
  • semver (3.0.4) - Semantic versioning utilities

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Development Installation

If you want to contribute to BullMQ Python or install from source: 
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/taskforcesh/bullmq.git
cd bullmq/python

# Install in development mode
pip install -e .

# Install development dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

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Verify Installation

You can verify the installation by importing the package: 
import bullmq
print(bullmq.__version__)

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Redis Setup

BullMQ requires a Redis server. You can:

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Run Redis Locally

# Using Docker
docker run -d -p 6379:6379 redis:latest

# Or install Redis directly
# On Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt-get install redis-server

# On macOS:
brew install redis

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Use a Managed Redis Service

For production, consider using a managed Redis service:

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Connection Configuration

When creating a Queue or Worker, you can specify Redis connection details: 
from bullmq import Queue

# Using connection string
queue = Queue(
    "myQueue",
    {"connection": "rediss://<user>:<password>@<host>:<port>"}
)

# Or using connection parameters (if using a custom Redis client)
# Note: The Python client handles connections internally

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Common Issues

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Binary Response Warnings

If you see warnings about binary responses, ensure your Redis client is configured with decode_responses=True:
If Redis responses are in binary format, pass the decode_responses=True option. See the redis-py documentation for more details.

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Connection Errors

If you can’t connect to Redis:
  1. Verify Redis is running: redis-cli ping (should return PONG)
  2. Check your connection string has the correct host, port, and credentials
  3. Ensure your firewall allows connections to the Redis port (default: 6379)

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Next Steps

Usage Guide

Learn how to create queues and workers

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