laszip

What it is and what it does

laszip-python wraps the LASzip C++ library using pybind11, exposing LAS point cloud compression functionality to Python. LASzip is a standard compression format for LiDAR data, and this package's primary purpose is to provide integration within laspy, a popular Python library for reading and writing LAS files. The bindings are available as pre-compiled wheels for recent Python versions on common platforms, though building from source requires CMake and pybind11.

The package has no runtime dependencies beyond Python itself, making it lightweight to install on supported platforms. It is designed for developers working with LiDAR datasets who need to compress or decompress LAS files programmatically. The aging maintenance status (last release 226 days ago, 4 repository stars) suggests it is a specialized tool with a small user base, likely maintained primarily for laspy's needs rather than as a standalone product.

Use it for:

• Compress LAS point cloud files to reduce storage and transmission bandwidth in LiDAR workflows
• Decompress LASzip-encoded LAS files for analysis or visualization in Python
• Integrate LASzip compression into laspy-based data pipelines for geospatial or surveying applications
• Automate batch processing of LiDAR datasets with compression as part of a data ingestion pipeline

Worth the install?

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

Provides Python bindings to LASzip, a compression library for LAS point cloud data, enabling efficient read and write of compressed LAS files from Python.

Yes, if you are using laspy and need LASzip compression support. The package is permissively licensed, has no runtime dependencies, and offers pre-built wheels for modern Python versions. However, the aging maintenance status (226 days since release, minimal repository activity) means you should verify that it still meets your compression needs and check whether laspy's own integration is sufficient before adopting it as a standalone tool.

Install

laszip on PyPI

pip install laszip

uv add laszip

poetry add laszip

Installing laszip

Before you install

Medium install friction due to compiled C++ bindings; wheels are available for multiple Python versions on macOS, Linux, and Windows, but building from source requires pybind11 and CMake. The package is aging (226 days since last release) with minimal maintenance activity (4 repository stars).

License in practice

MIT License permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; you may use, modify, and distribute the package provided you retain the copyright notice and license text.

Quickstart

pip install laszip

import laszip
# Use laszip bindings to compress/decompress LAS data via laspy integration

Requires Python >=3.9; building from source requires pybind11 and CMake to be installed and properly configured.

Verify before relying

• Whether laszip can be used standalone or only through laspy integration
• Specific compression/decompression APIs available in the bindings
• Performance characteristics compared to other LAS compression approaches
• Whether the package is actively maintained or in maintenance-only mode

Package facts

Evidence: laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp312-cp312-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; laszip-0.3.0-cp312-cp312-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl

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