backports-datetime-fromisoformat
Backport of Python 3.11's datetime.fromisoformat
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you support Python versions earlier than 3.11 and need to parse ISO 8601 timestamps reliably. The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has no runtime dependencies. Install it conditionally so it only activates on older Python versions. Not needed for Python 3.11 and later.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires explicit monkey-patching to override the standard library methods.
- Only affects Python versions earlier than 3.11.
- Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels across macOS, Linux, Windows, and musl variants.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — MIT License permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for any project type.
last release 2024-12-28 (594 days) · last repo commit 2025-03-31 · 29 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 2,139,707 downloads/mo, #3,259 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install backports-datetime-fromisoformat
from datetime import datetime
from backports.datetime_fromisoformat import MonkeyPatch
MonkeyPatch.patch_fromisoformat()
dt = datetime.fromisoformat("2014-01-09T21:48:00-05:30")- Performance characteristics of the C implementation compared to pure-Python alternatives in typical workloads.
- Full compatibility scope with timezone-aware datetime objects beyond the custom timezone implementation mentioned.
What it is and what it does
This package backports the expanded `datetime.fromisoformat` methods from Python 3.11 to earlier versions, allowing you to parse ISO 8601 timestamps with much broader format coverage than the built-in methods provide. The standard library's `fromisoformat` in older Python versions only handles timestamps produced by `isoformat` itself; this backport extends that to parse most of the ISO 8601 specification, including timezone offsets and various timestamp formats.
The implementation is a C port of CPython code, using a custom timezone implementation for timezone-aware objects. It requires explicit monkey-patching via `MonkeyPatch.patch_fromisoformat()` to replace the standard library methods. On Python 3.11 and later, the package has no effect—the native methods already have the full ISO 8601 support.
Use it for
- Parse ISO 8601 timestamps from APIs or data sources in earlier Python versions without manual string manipulation.
- Handle timezone-aware datetime strings with non-standard offsets in legacy Python environments.
- Upgrade code to use the modern `fromisoformat` API while maintaining compatibility with older Python versions.
- Avoid dependency on third-party datetime libraries when only ISO 8601 parsing is needed.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you support Python versions earlier than 3.11 and need to parse ISO 8601 timestamps reliably.
The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has no runtime dependencies. Install it conditionally so it only activates on older Python versions. Not needed for Python 3.11 and later.
Install
backports-datetime-fromisoformat on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels across macOS, Linux, Windows, and musl variants. Last release was 594 days ago; maintenance status is aging but the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2025-03-31. Development is described as complete, so infrequent updates are expected.
Requires explicit monkey-patching to override the standard library methods. Only affects Python versions earlier than 3.11.
License in practice
MIT License permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for any project type.
Quickstart
pip install backports-datetime-fromisoformat
from datetime import datetime
from backports.datetime_fromisoformat import MonkeyPatch
MonkeyPatch.patch_fromisoformat()
dt = datetime.fromisoformat("2014-01-09T21:48:00-05:30")Verify before relying
- Performance characteristics of the C implementation compared to pure-Python alternatives in typical workloads.
- Full compatibility scope with timezone-aware datetime objects beyond the custom timezone implementation mentioned.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >3 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Aging 594 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 2,139,707 / month, #3,259 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Intended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_universal2.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_universal2.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_universal2.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_x86_64.whl; backports_datetime_fromisoformat-2.0.3-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl
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See also aniso8601 · iso8601 · ciso8601 · backports.zoneinfo · isodate · arrow · pyRFC3339 · isoduration · metomi-isodatetime · times