huey
a little task queue
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Huey is actively maintained, has no required dependencies, supports multiple storage backends, and offers a clean API for task queueing. It's well-suited for projects that need background job execution without the operational overhead of larger systems. The only caveat is that the license status is unclear in the fact sheet, so verify the actual license before use in proprietary or restricted contexts.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires a running broker (Redis, PostgreSQL, SQLite, or file-system); Redis is the recommended default and requires redis-py to be installed separately if chosen.
- Installation is straightforward with no required dependencies—redis-py and psycopg are optional and only needed if you choose Redis or PostgreSQL as your broker.
- The project is actively maintained with a recent release and solid community adoption.
License · maintenance · safety
(unclear)
last release 2026-08-05 (9 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-05 · 6,008 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 21,048,581 downloads/mo, #1,013 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install huey
from huey import RedisHuey
huey = RedisHuey('my-app', host='localhost')
@huey.task()
def add_numbers(a, b):
return a + b
result = add_numbers(1, 2)
print(result()) # Prints 3 after task completes- Whether the package is distributed under an open-source license (license_raw and license_spdx are both null in the fact sheet).
What it is and what it does
Huey is a task queue library designed to be simple and lightweight, letting you defer work to background processes without heavy infrastructure. You decorate Python functions with @huey.task() to mark them for asynchronous execution, then call them normally—the function returns a result handle immediately while the actual work runs in a separate consumer process. It supports multiple storage backends (Redis, PostgreSQL, SQLite, file-system, or in-memory), multiple execution models (processes, threads, or greenlets), and features like automatic retries, scheduling, recurring tasks, task prioritization, and result caching.
Typical usage involves defining tasks in your application code, then running a separate consumer process (huey_consumer) that picks work off the queue and executes it. Django integration is built in, with optional admin UI for monitoring. The library has no hard dependencies—you only install what you need for your chosen broker—making it a good fit for projects that want task queueing without the complexity of larger systems.
Use it for
- Send emails or notifications asynchronously without blocking web requests.
- Schedule periodic maintenance tasks like backups or data cleanup using crontab-like syntax.
- Retry flaky operations (API calls, database writes) with configurable delays and attempt limits.
- Process long-running computations in background workers while keeping your web app responsive.
- Coordinate multi-step workflows using task pipelines, chains, and fan-out/map-reduce patterns.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Huey is actively maintained, has no required dependencies, supports multiple storage backends, and offers a clean API for task queueing. It's well-suited for projects that need background job execution without the operational overhead of larger systems. The only caveat is that the license status is unclear in the fact sheet, so verify the actual license before use in proprietary or restricted contexts.
Install
huey on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no required dependencies—redis-py and psycopg are optional and only needed if you choose Redis or PostgreSQL as your broker. The project is actively maintained with a recent release and solid community adoption.
Requires a running broker (Redis, PostgreSQL, SQLite, or file-system); Redis is the recommended default and requires redis-py to be installed separately if chosen.
Quickstart
pip install huey
from huey import RedisHuey
huey = RedisHuey('my-app', host='localhost')
@huey.task()
def add_numbers(a, b):
return a + b
result = add_numbers(1, 2)
print(result()) # Prints 3 after task completesVerify before relying
- Whether the package is distributed under an open-source license (license_raw and license_spdx are both null in the fact sheet).
Package facts
| License | Not declared unclear |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 9 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 21,048,581 / month, #1,013 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 :: DevelopersProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: huey-3.3.4-py3-none-any.whl
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