ansicon
Python wrapper for loading Jason Hood's ANSICON
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No, unless you are maintaining legacy Windows console code that already depends on this package. The project is abandoned (last release 2019-04-29, no commits since 2023-04-13), and modern alternatives are better choices for new projects. The copyleft license also adds friction if you need to modify it.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Windows-only; requires ANSICON binary to be installed or available on the system for the wrapper to function.
- Installation is frictionless with no runtime dependencies, but the package is abandoned—last release was 2019-04-29 and no commits since 2023-04-13.
- Use only if you need legacy Windows console color support and are comfortable maintaining a frozen dependency.
License · maintenance · safety
MPLv2.0 (copyleft) — Licensed under MPLv2.0 (copyleft), which requires that modifications to this package be shared under the same license, though use of the package itself in your code does not impose restrictions.
last release 2019-04-29 (2664 days) · last repo commit 2023-04-13
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 672,211 downloads/mo, #5,401 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install ansicon
import ansicon
ansicon.load()
print(u'\x1b[32mGreen\x1b[m')
ansicon.unload()- Whether ANSICON binary is bundled with the package or must be installed separately on the target Windows system.
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond those listed in classifiers (3.7 and earlier).
- Whether the package works with current Windows console implementations.
What it is and what it does
ansicon is a Python wrapper around Jason Hood's ANSICON, a Windows console utility that enables ANSI escape sequence support for colored and styled terminal output. On Windows, standard terminal applications often do not interpret ANSI color codes natively, so this wrapper loads ANSICON to bridge that gap and allow terminal color code usage.
The package provides three main functions: load() to activate ANSICON, unload() to deactivate it, and loaded() to check its current state. It is designed for developers who write terminal applications with ANSI color codes and need those codes to work on Windows without rewriting their output logic. However, the package has been abandoned since its latest release on 2019-04-29 and receives no active maintenance, making it a legacy tool primarily useful for maintaining older Windows console applications.
Use it for
- Enable ANSI color codes in legacy Windows console applications that were written for cross-platform terminal output.
- Add colored output to Python CLI tools running on Windows without rewriting color logic for platform-specific APIs.
- Support terminal styling in Windows batch or PowerShell-invoked Python scripts.
- Maintain existing codebases that depend on ANSICON and cannot migrate to alternative approaches.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No, unless you are maintaining legacy Windows console code that already depends on this package.
The project is abandoned (last release 2019-04-29, no commits since 2023-04-13), and modern alternatives are better choices for new projects. The copyleft license also adds friction if you need to modify it.
Install
ansicon on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is frictionless with no runtime dependencies, but the package is abandoned—last release was 2019-04-29 and no commits since 2023-04-13. Use only if you need legacy Windows console color support and are comfortable maintaining a frozen dependency.
Windows-only; requires ANSICON binary to be installed or available on the system for the wrapper to function.
License in practice
Licensed under MPLv2.0 (copyleft), which requires that modifications to this package be shared under the same license, though use of the package itself in your code does not impose restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install ansicon
import ansicon
ansicon.load()
print(u'\x1b[32mGreen\x1b[m')
ansicon.unload()Verify before relying
- Whether ANSICON binary is bundled with the package or must be installed separately on the target Windows system.
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond those listed in classifiers (3.7 and earlier).
- Whether the package works with current Windows console implementations.
Package facts
| License | MPLv2.0 copyleft |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,664 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 672,211 / month, #5,401 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL 2.0)Operating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: ansicon-1.89.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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