fuzzywuzzy
Fuzzy string matching in python
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, for read-only string matching in stable applications. The algorithm is mature and well-tested, install friction is minimal, and no known vulnerabilities exist. However, do not adopt it for new projects requiring active maintenance or Python version support beyond 3.6. The GPLv2 license is a hard blocker for proprietary software. For actively maintained alternatives, look elsewhere.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies.
- The package is archived and unmaintained since February 2023, with the last release in 2020, so no active bug fixes or compatibility updates should be expected.
License · maintenance · safety
GPLv2 (copyleft) — Licensed under GPLv2 (copyleft), which requires that any derivative work or linked application also be open-source under a compatible license—a significant constraint for proprietary software.
last release 2020-02-13 (2374 days) · last repo commit 2023-02-24 · 9,257 stars · archived
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 15,776,985 downloads/mo, #1,174 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install fuzzywuzzy
from fuzzywuzzy import fuzz
fuzz.ratio("this is a test", "this is a test!")- Whether the package works reliably on Python versions beyond 3.6 (classifiers list only up to 3.6)
- Current compatibility with modern Python versions given the 2023 abandonment
- Whether difflib alone is sufficient or if python-Levenshtein is required for acceptable performance
What it is and what it does
FuzzyWuzzy is a string-matching library that calculates similarity scores between text sequences using Levenshtein distance. It offers multiple matching strategies—simple ratio, partial ratio, token sort, and token set—each suited to different comparison scenarios. The library includes a process module for batch operations like extracting the best matches from a list of candidates.
The package has no runtime dependencies and installs cleanly. However, it is archived and abandoned as of February 2023, with the last release in 2020. While the core algorithm is stable and unlikely to break, you should not expect bug fixes, security patches, or compatibility updates for future Python versions. An optional C extension (python-Levenshtein) can provide a 4-10x performance boost but may produce different results in edge cases.
Use it for
- Deduplicate or merge user-entered names and addresses that may contain typos or formatting variations
- Search for songs or files by approximate title match when exact names are unknown or misspelled
- Match product names across databases with inconsistent naming conventions or abbreviations
- Implement autocomplete or suggestion features that tolerate user spelling mistakes
- Link records from different data sources where identifiers don't match exactly
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, for read-only string matching in stable applications.
The algorithm is mature and well-tested, install friction is minimal, and no known vulnerabilities exist. However, do not adopt it for new projects requiring active maintenance or Python version support beyond 3.6. The GPLv2 license is a hard blocker for proprietary software. For actively maintained alternatives, look elsewhere.
Install
fuzzywuzzy on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies. The package is archived and unmaintained since February 2023, with the last release in 2020, so no active bug fixes or compatibility updates should be expected.
License in practice
Licensed under GPLv2 (copyleft), which requires that any derivative work or linked application also be open-source under a compatible license—a significant constraint for proprietary software.
Quickstart
pip install fuzzywuzzy
from fuzzywuzzy import fuzz
fuzz.ratio("this is a test", "this is a test!")Verify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably on Python versions beyond 3.6 (classifiers list only up to 3.6)
- Current compatibility with modern Python versions given the 2023 abandonment
- Whether difflib alone is sufficient or if python-Levenshtein is required for acceptable performance
Package facts
| License | GPLv2 copyleft |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,374 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | repository archived |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 15,776,985 / month, #1,174 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Intended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v2 (GPLv2)Programming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6 |
Evidence: fuzzywuzzy-0.18.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also pfzy · thefuzz · fuzzysearch · fuzzyfinder · textdistance · python-Levenshtein · strsimpy · tfidf-matcher · editdistance