---
id: phonetics
version: "1.0.5"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# phonetics — Compute phonetic key of strings for indexing or fuzzy matching

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 328.6K/mo

## 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 above — verify before relying.

Computes phonetic keys of strings using Soundex, NYSIIS, Metaphone, and Double Metaphone algorithms for fuzzy matching and phonetic indexing.

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

pip install phonetics
uv add phonetics
poetry add phonetics

## Installing phonetics

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.

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')

Package targets Python 2.6–3.5; compatibility with Python 3.6+ is unverified and likely broken due to abandonment.

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: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 328.6K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

phonetic key generation, soundex algorithm, metaphone phonetics, fuzzy string matching, phonetic indexing, double metaphone, string similarity, phonetic-matching, fuzzy-search, abandoned

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