colourmap
Python package colourmap generates an N unique colors from the specified input colormap.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need straightforward color generation and label-to-color mapping for visualizations. The package is lightweight, has no security vulnerabilities, and its three dependencies are standard. However, the aging maintenance status (280 days since last release) means you should verify it works with your current matplotlib/scipy versions before relying on it for production work.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Low friction install with three well-established dependencies (matplotlib, numpy, scipy).
- Package is aging—last release 280 days ago—but repo remains active and unarchived.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; safe for most projects.
last release 2025-11-07 (280 days) · last repo commit 2025-11-07 · 5 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 131,116 downloads/mo, #11,603 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install colourmap
from colourmap import colourmap
# Generate 10 unique colors
c = colourmap.generate(10)
# Create colors from labels
c_rgb, c_dict = colourmap.fromlist([1, 1, 2, 2, 3])
# Convert to HEX
c_hex = colourmap.rgb2hex(c_rgb)- Whether the package handles edge cases (empty lists, very large label sets) gracefully
- Performance characteristics when working with thousands of unique labels
- Compatibility with recent matplotlib/scipy versions beyond 'supports_current'
What it is and what it does
Colourmap is a utility for generating and managing color palettes programmatically. It wraps matplotlib, numpy, and scipy to create unique RGB and HEX color assignments from input lists or labels, making it useful for visualization tasks where you need consistent color mapping across categories or data points.
The package provides functions to generate N colors from a colormap, assign colors to input labels, convert between RGB and HEX formats, and create linear gradients between colors. It's designed for scientific and educational use, targeting developers building visualizations in Python who need deterministic, repeatable color assignment without manually managing palettes.
Use it for
- Assign consistent colors to categorical data in plots based on unique labels or group IDs
- Generate a palette of N distinct colors for multi-series visualization or dashboard design
- Convert between RGB and HEX color formats for web and graphics applications
- Create smooth color gradients between two colors for heatmaps or sequential visualizations
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need straightforward color generation and label-to-color mapping for visualizations.
The package is lightweight, has no security vulnerabilities, and its three dependencies are standard. However, the aging maintenance status (280 days since last release) means you should verify it works with your current matplotlib/scipy versions before relying on it for production work.
Install
colourmap on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction install with three well-established dependencies (matplotlib, numpy, scipy). Package is aging—last release 280 days ago—but repo remains active and unarchived.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; safe for most projects.
Quickstart
pip install colourmap
from colourmap import colourmap
# Generate 10 unique colors
c = colourmap.generate(10)
# Create colors from labels
c_rgb, c_dict = colourmap.fromlist([1, 1, 2, 2, 3])
# Convert to HEX
c_hex = colourmap.rgb2hex(c_rgb)Verify before relying
- Whether the package handles edge cases (empty lists, very large label sets) gracefully
- Performance characteristics when working with thousands of unique labels
- Compatibility with recent matplotlib/scipy versions beyond 'supports_current'
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 3 packagesmatplotlibnumpyscipy |
| Maintenance | Aging 280 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 131,116 / month, #11,603 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Intended Audience :: EducationIntended Audience :: Science/ResearchOperating System :: MacOSOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: OS IndependentOperating System :: UnixProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: colourmap-1.2.1-py3-none-any.whl
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See also colour · distinctipy · imgviz · cmap · brewer2mpl · colorhash · cmcrameri · colorcet · materialyoucolor · cmocean