---
id: colorhash
version: "2.3.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# colorhash — Generate color based on any object

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 384.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

ColorHash is a lightweight Python library that maps any input object to a deterministic color by computing a hash and converting it to HSL, RGB, or hex format. The same input always produces the same color output, making it useful for UI elements like user avatars or category labels where visual consistency matters. The library supports Python 3.8 through 3.15 and has zero runtime dependencies, keeping it simple to integrate.

You control the output by adjusting hue range (min_h to max_h), saturation levels, and lightness levels. The library picks deterministically from the ranges you provide, so you can create narrow color palettes or wide variety depending on your needs. The core API is straightforward: instantiate ColorHash with an object and optional parameters, then access the .hsl, .rgb, or .hex properties.

Use it for:

- Assign consistent avatar colors to users based on their identifier across a web application.
- Generate category or tag colors that remain stable even after data reloads or cache refreshes.
- Create color-coded visual indicators for status or priority levels in dashboards.
- Build theme-aware color schemes by constraining hue ranges to match brand guidelines.
- Implement deterministic syntax highlighting or data visualization where the same entity always gets the same color.

## Worth the install?

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

Generates deterministic colors from any object by hashing its value, returning results in HSL, RGB, and hex formats with customizable hue, saturation, and lightness ranges.

Yes. Zero dependencies, active maintenance, no known vulnerabilities, and a permissive MIT license make this a low-risk addition. Install it if you need deterministic color mapping for UI consistency; the API is minimal and the library does one thing well.

## Install

pip install colorhash
uv add colorhash
poetry add colorhash

## Installing colorhash

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained as of 2026-03-12 with recent fixes to hue calculation and support for modern Python versions.

License in practice: MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open and closed-source projects with minimal attribution requirements.

Quickstart:

pip install colorhash

from colorhash import ColorHash

c = ColorHash('Hello World')
print(c.hex)  # '#2dd24b'
print(c.rgb)  # (45, 210, 75)
print(c.hsl)  # (131, 0.65, 0.5)

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 384.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

deterministic color generation, hash to color conversion, avatar color assignment, consistent color mapping, hsl rgb hex color from string, color hash library, category label coloring, color-generation, deterministic-hashing, ui-utilities

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