phonetics
Compute phonetic key of strings for indexing or fuzzy matching
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No. The package is abandoned (last update 2018-03-23) and targets only Python 2.6–3.5, all end-of-life. Compatibility with Python 3.6+ is unverified. While the MIT license is permissive and no known vulnerabilities exist, the high install friction combined with lack of maintenance makes this unsuitable for new projects. Consider maintained alternatives for phonetic algorithms.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Package targets Python 2.6–3.5; compatibility with Python 3.6+ is unverified and likely broken due to abandonment.
- High install friction due to source distribution format.
- Maintenance is abandoned—last release was 2018-03-23 with no updates since.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.
last release 2018-03-23 (3066 days) · last repo commit 2018-03-23 · 41 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 328,590 downloads/mo, #7,554 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install phonetics
import phonetics
result = phonetics.dmetaphone('Danger')
print(result) # ('TNJR', 'TNKR')- Whether the package works on Python 3.6 or later versions without modification.
- Whether the source distribution builds successfully on modern systems.
- Performance characteristics or accuracy comparisons between the four algorithms.
- Whether any of the algorithms have known limitations or edge cases.
What it is and what it does
Phonetics is a Python library that converts strings into phonetic keys using four well-known algorithms: Soundex, NYSIIS (New York State Identification and Intelligence System), Metaphone, and Double Metaphone. These algorithms are commonly used in search and indexing systems to find words that sound similar despite different spellings—for example, matching 'Smith' with 'Smythe' or 'Catherine' with 'Katherine'.
The library provides a simple interface with one function per algorithm. It was designed for developers building fuzzy-matching or phonetic-search features into applications. However, the package is abandoned as of March 2018, with no maintenance or updates since then. The declared Python support covers only versions 2.6 through 3.5, all of which are end-of-life; whether it runs on modern Python versions is unknown.
Use it for
- Build a search feature that matches names phonetically despite spelling variations.
- Index database records by phonetic similarity for duplicate detection.
- Implement fuzzy matching in contact or customer record systems.
- Create a spell-checker or autocorrect system based on phonetic similarity.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No.
The package is abandoned (last update 2018-03-23) and targets only Python 2.6–3.5, all end-of-life. Compatibility with Python 3.6+ is unverified. While the MIT license is permissive and no known vulnerabilities exist, the high install friction combined with lack of maintenance makes this unsuitable for new projects. Consider maintained alternatives for phonetic algorithms.
Install
phonetics on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction due to source distribution format. Maintenance is abandoned—last release was 2018-03-23 with no updates since. The package targets Python 2.6–3.5, which are now end-of-life; compatibility with modern Python versions is unverified.
Package targets Python 2.6–3.5; compatibility with Python 3.6+ is unverified and likely broken due to abandonment.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.
Quickstart
pip install phonetics
import phonetics
result = phonetics.dmetaphone('Danger')
print(result) # ('TNJR', 'TNKR')Verify before relying
- Whether the package works on Python 3.6 or later versions without modification.
- Whether the source distribution builds successfully on modern systems.
- Performance characteristics or accuracy comparisons between the four algorithms.
- Whether any of the algorithms have known limitations or edge cases.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 3,066 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 328,590 / month, #7,554 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 3 - AlphaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 2.6Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Topic :: Internet :: WWW/HTTP :: Indexing/SearchTopic :: Text Processing :: GeneralTopic :: Text Processing :: IndexingTopic :: Text Processing :: Linguistic |
Evidence: phonetics-1.0.5.tar.gz
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See also Metaphone · pyphonetics · soundex · pysimstring · cmudict · thefuzz · pfzy · fuzzywuzzy · ngram · praat-parselmouth