pfzy
Python port of the fzy fuzzy string matching algorithm
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need fuzzy matching with character indices for a fuzzy finder or search interface. The zero-dependency install and permissive MIT license make it low-risk. However, the package is abandoned and has not been updated since January 2022, so consider it only for stable, self-contained use cases where you won't need ongoing maintenance or compatibility updates.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python >= 3.7; async/await syntax required to use the fuzzy_match function.
- Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies.
- However, the package has been abandoned since January 2022 (1659 days without release), so it will not receive bug fixes or maintenance updates.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for both open-source and commercial projects.
last release 2022-01-28 (1659 days) · last repo commit 2022-01-28 · 12 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 16,565,697 downloads/mo, #1,147 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pfzy
import asyncio
from pfzy import fuzzy_match
result = asyncio.run(fuzzy_match("ab", ["acb", "acbabc"]))
print(result)- Whether the fzy algorithm implementation remains competitive with newer fuzzy matching approaches
- Whether async functionality provides meaningful performance gains for typical use cases
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.10 despite the stated support ceiling
What it is and what it does
pfzy is a Python port of the fzy fuzzy string matching algorithm, designed to find and score string matches while also returning the indices of matched characters. Unlike some other fuzzy matching libraries, it provides both a match score and the positions where characters matched, which is essential for applications like fuzzy finders that need to highlight matching characters in results.
The package offers three main components: an async fuzzy match function for matching a query against a list of candidates, a fzy scorer for fuzzy string matching, and a substring scorer for exact substring matching. It has no runtime dependencies and supports Python 3.7 and later. The implementation is based on the original fzy algorithm and has been extracted from terminal fuzzy finder projects like sweep.py and vim-clap.
Use it for
- Build a fuzzy finder CLI tool that highlights matched characters in search results
- Implement autocomplete or search filtering in a terminal application
- Score and rank candidates in a list based on fuzzy query matching
- Integrate fuzzy matching into an editor or IDE plugin
- Filter file or command lists with user-friendly approximate matching
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need fuzzy matching with character indices for a fuzzy finder or search interface.
The zero-dependency install and permissive MIT license make it low-risk. However, the package is abandoned and has not been updated since January 2022, so consider it only for stable, self-contained use cases where you won't need ongoing maintenance or compatibility updates.
Install
pfzy on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies. However, the package has been abandoned since January 2022 (1659 days without release), so it will not receive bug fixes or maintenance updates.
Requires Python >= 3.7; async/await syntax required to use the fuzzy_match function.
License in practice
MIT license permits free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for both open-source and commercial projects.
Quickstart
pip install pfzy
import asyncio
from pfzy import fuzzy_match
result = asyncio.run(fuzzy_match("ab", ["acb", "acbabc"]))
print(result)Verify before relying
- Whether the fzy algorithm implementation remains competitive with newer fuzzy matching approaches
- Whether async functionality provides meaningful performance gains for typical use cases
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.10 despite the stated support ceiling
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.7,<4.0 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 1,659 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 16,565,697 / month, #1,147 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: MicrosoftOperating System :: UnixProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries |
Evidence: pfzy-0.3.4-py3-none-any.whl
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See also fuzzyfinder · fuzzywuzzy · thefuzz · scikit-fuzzy · RapidFuzz · pyfzf · pysimstring · tfidf-matcher · suffix-trees · phonetics