{"categories":[{"label":"Python Modules","url":"https://skillfed.io/packages/category/software-development-libraries-python-modules/18"},{"label":"Security","url":"https://skillfed.io/packages/category/security/2"}],"enrichment":{"capability":"Provides Python bindings to the libmagic library for file type detection and MIME type identification using ctypes.","skillfed_tags":["abandoned","file-type-detection","ctypes-binding"],"use_cases":["Detect file types by content rather than extension in legacy systems still using this binding.","Identify MIME types for uploaded files in web applications that cannot upgrade dependencies.","Analyze file format in security or forensics tools where libmagic integration is already established.","Validate file integrity by checking magic bytes in batch processing scripts with minimal dependencies."],"what_it_does":"libmagic is a Python wrapper around the libmagic C library, providing file type and MIME type detection through ctypes. It allows you to query the type of a file by reading its magic bytes\u2014the identifying patterns at the start of a file\u2014rather than relying on file extensions. The package is a thin binding with no runtime Python dependencies, relying entirely on the system-installed libmagic library.\n\nThe package has been abandoned since its single release in 2012 and receives no maintenance. While it may still work on systems with libmagic installed, it carries significant risk: no bug fixes, no Python version support updates, and no response to security issues. The GPL v3 copyleft license also imposes source-code disclosure requirements on any project that uses it.","worth_installing":"No. The package is abandoned (last release 2012-03-02, no maintenance since), carries high install friction (requires compiled libmagic), and is licensed under GPL v3 copyleft. Modern alternatives like `python-magic` or `python-magic-bin` are maintained and provide the same functionality. Install this only if you are maintaining legacy code that already depends on it and cannot migrate."},"id":"libmagic","links":{"html":"https://skillfed.io/packages/libmagic","md":"https://skillfed.io/packages/libmagic.md","pypi":"https://pypi.org/project/libmagic/"},"maintenance":{"status":"abandoned"},"meta":{"latest_release":"2012-03-02","license_spdx":null,"license_treatment":"copyleft","name":"libmagic","python_support":"unspecified","summary":"libmagic bindings"},"popularity":{"monthly_downloads":127815,"position":11729,"tier":"top_15000"},"security":{"n_vulnerabilities":0},"version":"1.0"}