pecan
A WSGI object-dispatching web framework, designed to be lean and fast, with few dependencies.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you prefer object-oriented URL routing and want a lightweight WSGI framework with low dependency overhead. The permissive BSD license, active maintenance, and support for current Python versions (3.10–3.13) make it a solid choice. Not recommended if you need a large ecosystem of third-party extensions or prefer convention-over-configuration frameworks like Flask or Django.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later.
- Low install friction with only three runtime dependencies (WebOb, Mako, setuptools).
- The package is actively maintained with a recent commit on 2026-03-12 and supports current Python versions (3.10 through 3.13).
License · maintenance · safety
BSD (permissive) — BSD license is permissive, allowing use in commercial and proprietary projects with minimal restrictions beyond attribution.
last release 2026-03-12 (155 days) · last repo commit 2026-03-12 · 108 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 182,446 downloads/mo, #10,098 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pecan
from pecan import App, expose
class RootController:
@expose()
def index(self):
return 'Hello, World!'
app = App(RootController())- Whether Pecan's object-dispatch model is suitable for your routing needs compared to path-based routing frameworks.
- Performance characteristics and scalability limits for production deployments.
- Community size and availability of third-party extensions or middleware.
What it is and what it does
Pecan is a WSGI web framework that maps HTTP requests directly to Python object hierarchies, making URL structure mirror your application's class structure. Instead of defining routes as strings, you organize controller classes and methods that correspond to URL paths. It depends on WebOb for request/response handling and Mako for templating, keeping the dependency footprint small.
The framework is designed for developers who prefer explicit, object-oriented routing over convention-based or decorator-heavy approaches. It has been in production use since 2012 and maintains active development. The project supports modern Python versions and is suitable for building REST APIs, web services, and traditional web applications where you want direct control over URL-to-code mapping.
Use it for
- Build REST APIs where URL structure naturally maps to resource hierarchies and controller classes.
- Create web services where explicit object dispatch is clearer than string-based routing patterns.
- Develop applications requiring minimal framework overhead and few external dependencies.
- Prototype or migrate from other WSGI frameworks while maintaining object-oriented design.
- Build admin interfaces or internal tools where object hierarchy routing simplifies code organization.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you prefer object-oriented URL routing and want a lightweight WSGI framework with low dependency overhead.
The permissive BSD license, active maintenance, and support for current Python versions (3.10–3.13) make it a solid choice. Not recommended if you need a large ecosystem of third-party extensions or prefer convention-over-configuration frameworks like Flask or Django.
Install
pecan on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with only three runtime dependencies (WebOb, Mako, setuptools). The package is actively maintained with a recent commit on 2026-03-12 and supports current Python versions (3.10 through 3.13).
Requires Python 3.10 or later.
License in practice
BSD license is permissive, allowing use in commercial and proprietary projects with minimal restrictions beyond attribution.
Quickstart
pip install pecan
from pecan import App, expose
class RootController:
@expose()
def index(self):
return 'Hello, World!'
app = App(RootController())Verify before relying
- Whether Pecan's object-dispatch model is suitable for your routing needs compared to path-based routing frameworks.
- Performance characteristics and scalability limits for production deployments.
- Community size and availability of third-party extensions or middleware.
Package facts
| License | BSD permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 3 packagesWebObMakosetuptools |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 155 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 182,446 / month, #10,098 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/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleEnvironment :: Web EnvironmentIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: System AdministratorsLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIXProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Topic :: Internet :: WWW/HTTP :: WSGITopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Application Frameworks |
Evidence: pecan-1.8.0-py3-none-any.whl
Tags
Let your AI agent find packages like this
Example. Real query, live index.
You found this page by searching. An agent finds it by wishing: SkillFed indexes 14,416 PyPI packages by what they can do, searchable in plain language.
wish › “object-oriented url routing”
- pecanPecan is a WSGI web framework that routes HTTP requests to Python…
- CherryPyCherryPy is an object-oriented HTTP framework that lets you build web…
- urlpathURLPath extends pathlib.PurePath to treat URLs as filesystem-like…
Give your agent the search over MCP, or paste the wish link into any chat.
More Application Frameworks packages
FastAPI is a Python web framework for building REST APIs using type hints, with automatic request validation, serialization, and interactive API documentation.
Provides a way to document function parameters, class attributes, return types, and variables inline using Python's `Annotated` type hint syntax instead of traditional docstrings.
Textual is a Python framework for building cross-platform user interfaces that run in the terminal or web browser using a modern, component-based API.
Install it if you're developing CLI tools, dashboards, or interactive terminal applications.
Typer builds command-line applications from Python functions using type hints, automatically generating help text, argument parsing, and shell completion.
Install it if you are building CLIs in Python.
Build and connect to Model Context Protocol servers that expose tools, resources, and prompts to LLM applications over stdio, HTTP, or SSE transports.
Install it if you need to build or connect to servers.
Werkzeug is a WSGI utility library providing request/response objects, URL routing, an interactive debugger, HTTP utilities, and a development server for building web applications.
See also bottle · appier · Flask · tool · webapp2 · pyramid · Hypercorn · CherryPy · dulwich