dictdiffer
Dictdiffer is a library that helps you to diff and patch dictionaries.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Dictdiffer is actively maintained, has no dependencies, installs cleanly, carries a permissive MIT license, and solves a real problem with a stable API. It's in the top 5000 packages by download volume and has no known vulnerabilities. Install it if you need to diff or patch dictionaries.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.7 or later.
- Low friction: pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies.
- Active maintenance—last release 29 days ago, repository not archived, and 849 stars indicate steady use.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-07-16 (29 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-16 · 849 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 9,288,516 downloads/mo, #1,549 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install dictdiffer
from dictdiffer import diff, patch
old = {'a': 'x', 'b': 'y'}
new = {'a': 'x', 'b': 'z', 'c': 'w'}
changes = list(diff(old, new))
patched = patch(changes, old)- Whether the package handles deeply nested dictionaries or has performance limits on large structures.
- Whether patch application is reversible or supports conflict resolution in concurrent scenarios.
- Specific behavior when diffing or patching lists or other non-dict collection types.
What it is and what it does
Dictdiffer is a utility library for computing structural differences between Python dictionaries and applying those differences as patches. It identifies what keys were added, removed, or changed between two dicts and can reconstruct one dict from another by replaying those changes. The library has no external runtime dependencies and works as a pure Python module.
Typical use cases include tracking configuration changes, auditing data mutations, implementing undo/redo logic, or syncing state between systems. It's particularly useful when you need to log or transmit only the delta between two versions rather than the full state.
Use it for
- Track configuration file changes by diffing before and after versions to log only what changed.
- Implement undo/redo functionality by storing diffs and replaying them forward or backward.
- Audit data mutations in applications by capturing diffs of object state at key points.
- Sync state between systems by transmitting only the delta rather than full snapshots.
- Compare API responses or database records to detect and report structural changes.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Dictdiffer is actively maintained, has no dependencies, installs cleanly, carries a permissive MIT license, and solves a real problem with a stable API. It's in the top 5000 packages by download volume and has no known vulnerabilities. Install it if you need to diff or patch dictionaries.
Install
dictdiffer on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction: pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Active maintenance—last release 29 days ago, repository not archived, and 849 stars indicate steady use.
Requires Python 3.7 or later.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive; you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install dictdiffer
from dictdiffer import diff, patch
old = {'a': 'x', 'b': 'y'}
new = {'a': 'x', 'b': 'z', 'c': 'w'}
changes = list(diff(old, new))
patched = patch(changes, old)Verify before relying
- Whether the package handles deeply nested dictionaries or has performance limits on large structures.
- Whether patch application is reversible or supports conflict resolution in concurrent scenarios.
- Specific behavior when diffing or patching lists or other non-dict collection types.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.7 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 29 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 9,288,516 / month, #1,549 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Utilities |
Evidence: dictdiffer-0.10.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also datadiff · jsondiff · diff-match-patch · fast-diff-match-patch · recursive-diff · patch · daff · whatthepatch · diff-parser · xmldiff