fcache

What it is and what it does

fcache is a lightweight, file-based cache module that wraps Python's shelve interface into a simple dictionary-like API. It stores cached key-value pairs directly to disk, making it useful for applications that need persistent caching without setting up a separate database server. The package supports standard dictionary operations (get, set, delete, iteration) and can be used as a context manager. It includes an optional write buffer to batch disk writes and reduce I/O overhead.

The module is designed for straightforward use cases where you need to cache data across application restarts. It depends only on platformdirs for cross-platform cache directory discovery, keeping the dependency footprint minimal. The package supports Python 3.9 through 3.13 and is classified as production-stable, though development has been dormant since its last release.

Use it for:

• Cache application configuration or computed results to disk for reuse across program restarts
• Store temporary data in a simple key-value format without managing a separate database
• Build a lightweight session store for small-to-medium workloads that don't require a full cache server
• Persist memoized function results to disk for offline-capable applications

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

fcache provides a dictionary-like file-based cache that persists data to disk, with an optional write buffer and Shelf compatibility for simple key-value storage without a database.

Yes, if you need simple file-based caching without external dependencies. The low install friction, permissive MIT license, and stable API make it suitable for small-to-medium projects. However, the dormant maintenance status means you should verify that the package meets your performance and concurrency requirements before adopting it in production; consider alternatives if you need active support or expect heavy use.

Install

fcache on PyPI

pip install fcache

uv add fcache

poetry add fcache

Installing fcache

Before you install

Installation is straightforward with low friction; the package has one runtime dependency (platformdirs) and is distributed as a pure Python wheel. Maintenance is dormant—last commit was 2024-11-19 but no releases in 633 days—so expect no active bug fixes or feature updates.

License in practice

fcache is released under the MIT License, a permissive open-source license that allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it safe to adopt in most projects.

Quickstart

pip install fcache

from fcache.cache import FileCache

mycache = FileCache('myapp')
mycache['key'] = 'value'
print(mycache['key'])

Requires Python 3.9 or later; platformdirs must be installed (handled automatically by pip).

Verify before relying

• Whether the write buffer implementation is suitable for high-concurrency or high-throughput scenarios
• Performance characteristics compared to other file-based cache solutions
• Whether dormant status means the package is stable or at risk of incompatibility with future Python versions

Package facts

Evidence: fcache-0.6.0-py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: cache, file, serialize

Tags

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