future
Clean single-source support for Python 3 and 2
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you maintain code that must support both Python 2 and Python 3. The package is mature, actively maintained, has no dependencies, and carries no security risk. However, this is primarily useful for legacy systems. For new projects, Python 3-only code is the standard approach.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Designed for Python 2.6, 2.7 and Python 3.3+; requires requires_python >=2.6, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*
- Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies.
- Actively maintained with a stable release history since 2013-07-14.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions.
last release 2024-02-21 (905 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-24 · 1,189 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 71,389,919 downloads/mo, #465 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install future
from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
from builtins import bytes, dict, int, list, str, range, open
# Write standard Python 3 code that runs on both Python 2 and 3- Whether Python 2 support remains practically relevant given its end-of-life status.
- Performance overhead of compatibility shims compared to native Python 3 code.
What it is and what it does
future is a compatibility layer that lets you write Python 3-style code that runs on both Python 2 and Python 3. It provides backported builtins and standard library reorganization (PEP 3108) so that imports like `from builtins import str, range, open` work on Python 2 with Python 3 semantics, while having no effect on Python 3. It also includes futurize, a script that automatically converts existing Python 2 or Python 3 code to be compatible with both versions.
The package has zero runtime dependencies and installs cleanly. It is mature (Development Status 6), actively maintained with last commit 2026-07-24, and widely used in the top 1000 on PyPI. There are no known security vulnerabilities. The MIT license is permissive and places no restrictions on use or distribution.
Use it for
- Maintaining a library or application that must support both Python 2 and Python 3 simultaneously.
- Migrating Python 2 codebases to Python 3 while keeping them runnable on both versions during transition.
- Writing new code once in Python 3 style and automatically supporting Python 2 with minimal rewrites.
- Using Python 3 standard library interfaces (like urllib.request, html.parser) on Python 2.
- Automating conversion of existing code to dual-version compatibility using the futurize tool.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you maintain code that must support both Python 2 and Python 3.
The package is mature, actively maintained, has no dependencies, and carries no security risk. However, this is primarily useful for legacy systems. For new projects, Python 3-only code is the standard approach.
Install
future on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with a stable release history since 2013-07-14.
Designed for Python 2.6, 2.7 and Python 3.3+; requires requires_python >=2.6, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*
License in practice
MIT license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install future
from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
from builtins import bytes, dict, int, list, str, range, open
# Write standard Python 3 code that runs on both Python 2 and 3Verify before relying
- Whether Python 2 support remains practically relevant given its end-of-life status.
- Performance overhead of compatibility shims compared to native Python 3 code.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=2.6, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.* |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 905 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 71,389,919 / month, #465 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 6 - MatureIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI ApprovedLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 2.6Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9 |
Evidence: future-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl
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