---
id: avro-python3
version: "1.10.2"
license: Apache License 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# avro-python3 — Avro is a serialization and RPC framework.

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 11.9M/mo

## What it is and what it does

avro-python3 is a Python implementation of Apache Avro, a data serialization system that combines a compact binary format with schema-driven encoding and decoding. It enables you to serialize Python objects into Avro's binary format and deserialize them back, making it useful for data interchange between systems, RPC communication, and storage. The package has no runtime dependencies beyond Python itself.

However, this package is abandoned and has not been updated since March 2021. The maintainers explicitly recommend using the maintained 'avro' package instead, which has full support for recent Python versions. Installing avro-python3 requires building from source (high install friction), and you will receive no further updates or security patches.

Use it for:

- Deserialize legacy Avro data written by older systems still using avro-python3.
- Prototype or test Avro serialization in environments where the maintained 'avro' package is unavailable.
- Integrate with existing codebases that are locked to avro-python3 and cannot yet migrate.
- Evaluate Avro's schema-based serialization model before committing to a maintained implementation.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Serializes and deserializes data in Apache Avro format, a binary schema-based serialization system for data interchange and RPC.

No. The package is abandoned (last release March 2021, 1976 days ago) and explicitly deprecated in favor of the maintained 'avro' package. High install friction (source distribution) combined with no ongoing maintenance makes it unsuitable for new projects. Install 'avro' instead unless you have a specific legacy integration requirement.

## Install

pip install avro-python3
uv add avro-python3
poetry add avro-python3

## Installing avro-python3

Before you install: High install friction due to source distribution. Package is abandoned as of 1976 days ago; the maintainers explicitly recommend migrating to the maintained 'avro' package instead.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, though you should review LICENSE.txt and NOTICE.txt included in the package.

Quickstart:

pip install avro-python3==1.10.2

import avro.schema
import avro.io

schema = avro.schema.parse('{"type": "record", "name": "Test", "fields": [{"name": "field", "type": "string"}]}')
writer = avro.io.DatumWriter(schema)

Package is abandoned and no longer maintained; official recommendation is to use the 'avro' package instead for ongoing support.

Verify before relying:

- Compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.8 (classifiers list only up to 3.8, but 'supports_current' flag suggests broader support).
- Whether the source distribution (tar.gz) requires build tools or system dependencies beyond standard Python development headers.

## Package facts

- License: Apache License 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 11.9M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

avro serialization python, binary data serialization, schema-based data format, avro rpc framework, data interchange format, avro encoder decoder, columnar data serialization, deprecated, abandoned, serialization

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