monotonic
An implementation of time.monotonic() for Python 2 & < 3.3
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No, unless you are maintaining legacy Python 2 code. The repository is archived and unmaintained since 2021. Install only if you are stuck supporting Python 2 or cannot upgrade to Python 3.3 or later, where time.monotonic is available in the standard library.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- On unsupported platforms with no suitable clock implementation, importing the module will raise RuntimeError.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- Repository is archived and unmaintained since 2021, but the package is marked Production/Stable and serves a narrow, stable purpose.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache (permissive) — Licensed under Apache (permissive), so you can use it freely in commercial and open-source projects without viral obligations.
last release 2021-04-09 (1953 days) · last repo commit 2021-04-09 · 65 stars · archived
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 14,028,069 downloads/mo, #1,252 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install monotonic
from monotonic import monotonic
start = monotonic()
# ... do work ...
elapsed = monotonic() - start- Whether this package remains necessary given Python 2 end-of-life and time.monotonic in Python 3.3+
- Whether platform-specific implementations remain compatible with modern OS versions
What it is and what it does
monotonic is a thin compatibility shim that exposes a monotonic() function—a clock that measures elapsed time without ever going backwards, even if the system clock is adjusted. On Python 3.3 and later, it simply aliases the standard library's time.monotonic. On older Python versions, it implements platform-specific fallbacks using clock_gettime on Linux, BSD, AIX, GetTickCount on Windows, and mach_absolute_time on OS X.
The package exists primarily to backport monotonic timing to Python 2 and early Python 3 codebases that need reliable elapsed-time measurement. It has no runtime dependencies and installs as a pure Python wheel. However, the repository has been archived since 2021 and receives no maintenance, making it relevant mainly for legacy systems that cannot upgrade to modern Python.
Use it for
- Measure elapsed time in Python 2 codebases where time.monotonic is unavailable
- Benchmark or profile code sections with a clock immune to system clock adjustments
- Implement timeouts or rate-limiting logic unaffected by system time changes
- Support legacy Python 2 applications during transition periods
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No, unless you are maintaining legacy Python 2 code.
The repository is archived and unmaintained since 2021. Install only if you are stuck supporting Python 2 or cannot upgrade to Python 3.3 or later, where time.monotonic is available in the standard library.
Install
monotonic on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Repository is archived and unmaintained since 2021, but the package is marked Production/Stable and serves a narrow, stable purpose.
On unsupported platforms with no suitable clock implementation, importing the module will raise RuntimeError.
License in practice
Licensed under Apache (permissive), so you can use it freely in commercial and open-source projects without viral obligations.
Quickstart
pip install monotonic
from monotonic import monotonic
start = monotonic()
# ... do work ...
elapsed = monotonic() - startVerify before relying
- Whether this package remains necessary given Python 2 end-of-life and time.monotonic in Python 3.3+
- Whether platform-specific implementations remain compatible with modern OS versions
Package facts
| License | Apache permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 1,953 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | repository archived |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 14,028,069 / month, #1,252 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/StableLicense :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: monotonic-1.6-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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