---
id: paver
version: "1.3.4"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: dormant
---

# Paver — Easy build, distribution and deployment scripting

License: permissive · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 146.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Paver is a Python-based scripting framework for automating repetitive project tasks—documentation generation, file management, downloads, and other build-related work. Unlike Make or dependency-tracking build systems, it doesn't manage C-style compilation dependencies; instead, it leverages Python's syntax and standard library to define and run custom tasks in a straightforward, readable way.

You write task definitions in Python code and execute them via the paver command line. It's intended for developers who want to replace shell scripts or Makefiles with more maintainable Python-based automation. The package depends only on six for Python 2/3 compatibility, making it lightweight to install.

Use it for:

- Automate documentation generation and deployment workflows for Python projects
- Define and run custom build, test, and deployment tasks as Python functions
- Replace shell scripts or Makefiles with readable Python-based task definitions
- Manage repetitive project setup, file movement, and cleanup operations
- Coordinate multi-step development workflows (lint, test, build, publish)

## Worth the install?

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

Paver is a Python-based task automation and scripting tool for software projects, similar to Make or Rake, designed to automate repetitive development tasks using Python syntax.

Yes, if you need lightweight task automation and are comfortable with dormant-but-stable software. Paver is production-stable and has no known vulnerabilities, but its last release was 2017-12-31 and maintenance is inactive. It remains usable for straightforward automation, but verify compatibility with your Python version first and consider alternatives if you need active development or support.

## Install

pip install paver
uv add paver
poetry add paver

## Installing Paver

Before you install: Low install friction with a single lightweight dependency (six). However, the package is dormant—last release was 2017-12-31, with no recent maintenance activity despite an active repository.

License in practice: Licensed under BSD (permissive), which allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions. No notable licensing constraints for typical use.

Quickstart:

pip install Paver

from paver.easy import *

@task
def hello():
    print('Hello, World!')

# Run: paver hello

Paver is designed for Python 2 and early Python 3 versions (up to 3.6 in classifiers); compatibility with modern Python versions is unspecified and may require testing.

Verify before relying:

- Actual compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.6 and current Python 3.x releases
- Whether the dormant maintenance status affects usability for modern project structures
- Active community or alternative maintenance forks

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 146.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

python build automation, task scripting tool, make alternative python, project automation scripting, build task runner, software project scripting, python task automation, task-automation, build-scripting, dormant-stable

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