---
id: locket
version: "1.0.0"
license: BSD-2-Clause
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# locket — File-based locks for Python on Linux and Windows

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Popularity: top 1,000 on PyPI

## Install

pip install locket
uv add locket
poetry add locket

## Description

locket.py: File-based locks for Python on Linux and Windows
===========================================================

Locket implements a file-based lock that can be used by multiple processes provided they use the same path.

.. code-block:: python

    import locket

    # Wait for lock
    with locket.lock_file("path/to/lock/file"):
        perform_action()

    # Raise LockError if lock cannot be acquired immediately
    with locket.lock_file("path/to/lock/file", timeout=0):
        perform_action()

    # Raise LockError if lock cannot be acquired after thirty seconds
    with locket.lock_file("path/to/lock/file", timeout=30):
        perform_action()

    # Without context managers:
    lock = locket.lock_file("path/to/lock/file")
    try:
        lock.acquire()
        perform_action()
    finally:
        lock.release()

Locks largely behave as (non-reentrant) ``Lock`` instances from the ``threading``
module in the standard library. Specifically, their behaviour is:

* Locks are uniquely identified by the file being locked,
  both in the same process and across different processes.

* Locks are either in a locked or unlocked state.

* When the lock is unlocked,...

## AI interpretation — verify before relying

Locket provides file-based locks for inter-process synchronization on Linux and Windows, allowing multiple processes to coordinate access to shared resources using a common lock file path.

Verdict: Locket is a lightweight, dependency-free file-locking utility suitable for simple inter-process coordination scenarios. Its permissive license and broad Python version support (2.7 through 3.10) make it accessible, but the abandoned maintenance status—no releases since April 2022—means it will not receive bug fixes or security updates. Use only if your locking needs are stable and unlikely to require future maintenance.

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/locket) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/locket/)