exrate

A zero-dependency command-line client for the Frankfurter v2 foreign-exchange API. Daily reference rates from 84 central banks, 201 currencies, back to 1948. No API key, no login, no rate caps for normal use.

It's a single Python file (exrate.py, stdlib only) — runs anywhere Python 3.8+ exists. Every subcommand maps 1:1 to the Frankfurter OpenAPI spec, and every subcommand accepts --json for machine-readable output, which also makes it pleasant to drive from scripts and AI agents.

Install

From PyPI (recommended):

pipx install exrate     # isolated, puts `exrate` on your PATH
# or
pip install exrate

From source (symlink install for hacking on it):

git clone https://github.com/ekinertac/exrate.git
cd exrate
./install.sh        # symlinks exrate.py -> ~/.local/bin/exrate
exrate --help

install.sh symlinks (not copies) the script, so edits take effect with no reinstall. It installs into ~/.local/bin; make sure that's on your PATH.

Usage

exrate rate EUR USD                              # latest single pair
exrate rate EUR USD --date 2020-03-15            # historical
exrate convert 100 USD JPY                       # convert an amount (client-side)
exrate rates --base USD --quotes EUR,GBP,JPY     # several pairs at once
exrate rates --from 2026-01-01 --quotes USD      # daily time series
exrate rates --from 2026-01-01 --group month     # downsample to monthly
exrate rates --from 2026-01-01 --quotes USD --csv  # native CSV
exrate currencies                                # list currency codes
exrate currencies --all                          # include legacy currencies
exrate currency AED                              # one currency's details + peg
exrate providers                                 # data sources (central banks)

Add --json to any command for raw API JSON (numbers stay JSON numbers, not strings), handy for jq pipelines:

exrate currencies --json | jq -r '.[].iso_code'
exrate providers  --json | jq -r '.[].key'

Run exrate <subcommand> --help for that command's modes, fields, and examples.

Commands

Conventions

• Currency codes are ISO 4217, 3 letters, case-insensitive (eur == EUR).
• Dates are YYYY-MM-DD. Weekends/holidays return the last published rate.
• Default base is EUR. The base is the "1 unit" side; the rate says how many quote units equal 1 base unit.
• Providers: rates are blended across providers by default. Pass --providers ECB to pin a single official source.
• Conversion is client-side — the API has no conversion endpoint, so convert fetches the pair rate and multiplies (matching the official docs' approach).

Exit codes

Releasing

Versions are single-sourced from __version__ in exrate.py. To cut a release:

1. Bump __version__ in exrate.py.
2. Commit and tag: git tag v1.2.3 && git push --tags.
3. On GitHub: Releases → Draft a new release, pick the tag, Publish.

Publishing a GitHub Release triggers .github/workflows/publish.yml, which builds the sdist + wheel and uploads them to PyPI via Trusted Publishing (OIDC, no stored tokens). One-time PyPI setup before the first Actions run:

PyPI → Your projects / Publishing → Add a pending publisher · Owner: ekinertac · Repository: exrate · Workflow: publish.yml · Environment: pypi

To build/publish manually instead:

pipx run build                 # -> dist/*.tar.gz, dist/*.whl
pipx run twine check dist/*
pipx run twine upload dist/*   # prompts for a PyPI API token

License

MIT