---
id: passagemath-categories
version: "10.8.9"
license: GPL-2.0-or-later
license_treatment: copyleft
maintenance: active
---

# passagemath-categories — passagemath: Sage categories and basic rings

License: copyleft · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 97.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

passagemath-categories is a modularized subset of the passagemath mathematical library, extracted as a standalone pip-installable package. It provides the foundational category system, coercion framework, and basic algebraic structures (integers, rationals, finite fields, polynomials, power series, rational functions) without pulling in heavy external mathematical libraries. It depends on passagemath-objects and memory_allocator, making it a lightweight entry point to structured mathematical computation for developers who need categorical algebra without the full distribution.

The package is part of passagemath, a fork created in October 2024 to modularize mathematical software into pip-installable wheels and integrate it with the scientific Python ecosystem. It supports Python 3.11–3.14 and provides binary wheels for macOS, Linux (both glibc and musl), and Windows x86_64, though Windows support currently requires WSL or virtualization for full functionality.

Use it for:

- Building symbolic algebra systems or applications that need categorical algebra and basic rings without the full distribution.
- Teaching abstract algebra, number theory, or commutative algebra using structured element/parent models in a lightweight, pip-installable form.
- Prototyping mathematical algorithms with polynomials, power series, and finite fields before porting to production systems.
- Integrating categorical type systems into scientific Python workflows without the overhead of the complete distribution.
- Developing or testing packages that depend on categories and basic rings but not on specialized mathematical libraries.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Provides Sage categories, basic rings, polynomials, and mathematical functions as a modularized pip-installable component of the passagemath mathematical software system.

Yes, with conditions. Install if you need categorical algebra and basic rings in a modular, pip-installable form and can work with Python 3.11–3.14. Active maintenance, recent release, and no known vulnerabilities are positive signals. However, review the GPL-2.0-or-later copyleft license for your use case, and note that Windows support is incomplete without WSL. Medium install friction is typical for mathematical packages.

## Install

pip install passagemath-categories
uv add passagemath-categories
poetry add passagemath-categories

## Installing passagemath-categories

Before you install: Medium install friction due to compiled wheels for multiple platforms (macOS arm64/x86_64, Linux aarch64/x86_64, Windows x86_64, musl variants). Active maintenance with release 5 days old; repository shows 102 stars and recent commits. Requires Python 3.11–3.14.

License in practice: GPL-2.0-or-later copyleft license requires derivative works to be licensed under compatible terms. Suitable for academic and open-source projects; review required before use in proprietary software.

Quickstart:

pip install passagemath-categories

import passagemath_categories
# Access basic rings and categories through passagemath-objects

Requires Python 3.11 or later; binary wheels available for macOS, Linux (glibc and musl), and Windows x86_64, but full functionality on Windows currently requires WSL or virtualization.

Verify before relying:

- Whether Python 3.14 support is production-ready or forward-declared in classifiers.
- Performance characteristics and typical memory footprint for large-scale mathematical computations.
- Concrete API examples and typical usage patterns for the categories and basic rings provided.
- Compatibility details with other passagemath distribution packages beyond passagemath-objects and memory_allocator.

## Package facts

- License: GPL-2.0-or-later (copyleft)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 97.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

sage categories python, mathematical rings polynomials, passagemath modular install, commutative algebra structures, finite fields number fields, computer-algebra, modular-sage

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