flake8-expression-complexity
A flake8 extension that checks expressions complexity
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. This is a lightweight, well-maintained linter plugin with no security issues, permissive licensing, and a clear, narrow purpose. Install it if your team values expression readability and wants automated enforcement; the low friction and active maintenance make it a safe addition to any flake8 setup. Skip it only if your codebase already has strong code-review discipline around complexity or if you prefer other linting approaches.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later.
- Low friction installation as a pure Python wheel with a single runtime dependency on flake8.
- Actively maintained with a recent release and no known vulnerabilities.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for any project.
last release 2026-08-14 (0 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 33 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 341,486 downloads/mo, #7,402 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install flake8-expression-complexity
# Then run flake8 with optional configuration:
flake8 --max-expression-complexity=7 your_code.py
# or to skip Django ORM queries:
flake8 --max-expression-complexity=7 --ignore-django-orm-queries-complexity your_code.py- How expression complexity is actually scored (the algorithm or heuristic used beyond the example shown).
- Whether the Django ORM query exemption works reliably across common query patterns.
- Performance impact on large codebases or deeply nested expressions.
What it is and what it does
flake8-expression-complexity is a linter plugin that automatically flags expressions in your Python code that exceed a complexity threshold. It integrates directly into flake8's workflow, scoring each expression and raising an ECE001 error when complexity exceeds the configured limit (default 7). This helps catch hard-to-read conditional chains, nested operations, and other expressions that may reduce code maintainability.
The tool is particularly useful in Django projects, where ORM queries can produce long but readable expressions; you can optionally exclude those from complexity checks via a command-line flag. Configuration is straightforward through flake8's standard `--max-expression-complexity` option. The package is actively maintained, supports Python 3.10 through 3.14, and carries no known security vulnerabilities.
Use it for
- Enforce a team code-style rule that flags overly complex conditional expressions in pull request reviews.
- Automatically detect and refactor deeply nested boolean logic in legacy codebases.
- Configure stricter complexity thresholds in critical modules while relaxing them in Django query-heavy code.
- Integrate into CI/CD pipelines to prevent commits with expressions exceeding a project's complexity budget.
- Identify readability hotspots in conditional chains that would benefit from helper functions or intermediate variables.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
This is a lightweight, well-maintained linter plugin with no security issues, permissive licensing, and a clear, narrow purpose. Install it if your team values expression readability and wants automated enforcement; the low friction and active maintenance make it a safe addition to any flake8 setup. Skip it only if your codebase already has strong code-review discipline around complexity or if you prefer other linting approaches.
Install
flake8-expression-complexity on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation as a pure Python wheel with a single runtime dependency on flake8. Actively maintained with a recent release and no known vulnerabilities.
Requires Python 3.10 or later.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for any project.
Quickstart
pip install flake8-expression-complexity
# Then run flake8 with optional configuration:
flake8 --max-expression-complexity=7 your_code.py
# or to skip Django ORM queries:
flake8 --max-expression-complexity=7 --ignore-django-orm-queries-complexity your_code.pyVerify before relying
- How expression complexity is actually scored (the algorithm or heuristic used beyond the example shown).
- Whether the Django ORM query exemption works reliably across common query patterns.
- Performance impact on large codebases or deeply nested expressions.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packageflake8 |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 0 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 341,486 / month, #7,402 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Environment :: ConsoleFramework :: Flake8Operating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: Software Development :: DocumentationTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: Software Development :: Quality Assurance |
Evidence: flake8_expression_complexity-0.1.1-py3-none-any.whl
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