---
id: cwrap
version: "1.6.16"
license: GPL-3.0
license_treatment: copyleft
maintenance: active
---

# cwrap — cwrap - ctypes blanket

License: copyleft · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 102.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

cwrap simplifies the process of wrapping C code for use in Python by building on top of ctypes. Rather than writing raw ctypes bindings by hand, cwrap provides a higher-level interface to reduce boilerplate and make C interop more ergonomic. It is intended for developers who need to call C functions or work with C data types from Python but want to avoid writing C extension modules.

The package has been in active development since its first release and is marked as Production/Stable. It carries no runtime dependencies, making it lightweight to add to a project. The GPL-3.0 copyleft license means you must ensure compatibility with your project's licensing model before use.

Use it for:

- Wrapping a C library to call its functions from Python without writing a C extension module
- Defining Python-friendly interfaces to C structs and data types for scientific or systems code
- Rapid prototyping of C bindings during development before committing to a full extension
- Integrating legacy C code into a Python application without rewriting it

## Worth the install?

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

cwrap is a Python wrapper around C code that builds on ctypes, allowing you to call C functions and work with C data structures from Python.

Yes, if you need to call C code from Python and prefer a higher-level wrapper over raw ctypes, and your project is compatible with GPL-3.0 copyleft licensing. The package is actively maintained, has no dependencies, and supports modern Python versions. If your project cannot use GPL-3.0 code, do not install.

## Install

pip install cwrap
uv add cwrap
poetry add cwrap

## Installing cwrap

Before you install: Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies. Active maintenance: last commit 2026-07-06, release 43 days old. Supports Python 3.11 through 3.14.

License in practice: GPL-3.0 copyleft license. You must distribute derivative works under the same license; use in proprietary software requires careful review or separate licensing.

Quickstart:

pip install cwrap

import cwrap
# See examples/ directory in repository for usage patterns

Requires Python 3.11 or later

Verify before relying:

- Whether cwrap generates wrapper code or provides a runtime abstraction layer
- What C library features are supported (structs, callbacks, pointers, etc.)
- Performance overhead compared to direct ctypes use

## Package facts

- License: GPL-3.0 (copyleft)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 102.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

ctypes wrapper, call c code from python, python c bindings, c interop library, c function wrapper, python ctypes abstraction, c data structure binding, c-interop, ctypes

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