pigpio
Raspberry Pi GPIO module
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are maintaining existing code that already uses pigpio or need a straightforward GPIO interface for a stable, unchanging Raspberry Pi project. No, if you are starting a new project—consider more actively maintained alternatives. The lack of updates since 2020-09-29 and abandoned status mean you will not receive bug fixes or support for newer hardware or Python versions.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires the pigpio daemon to be running on the Raspberry Pi; the Python module is a client that communicates with it, not a standalone GPIO driver.
- Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies, but the project is abandoned—last release was 2020-09-29, over 2145 days ago.
- Use only if you are maintaining existing code or targeting stable, unchanging hardware interfaces.
License · maintenance · safety
unlicense.org (permissive) — Licensed under unlicense.org (permissive), placing the code in the public domain or near-equivalent terms with minimal restrictions on use or modification.
last release 2020-09-29 (2145 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 135,993 downloads/mo, #11,409 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pigpio
import pigpio
pi = pigpio.pi()
pi.set_mode(pigpio.OUTPUT)
pi.write(1)- Whether the pigpio daemon is pre-installed or must be installed separately on modern Raspberry Pi OS distributions.
- Compatibility with recent Raspberry Pi hardware models and Python versions beyond those listed in classifiers.
- Specific GPIO pin numbering and control patterns supported by the daemon interface.
What it is and what it does
pigpio is a Python client library for the pigpio daemon, a hardware abstraction layer that manages GPIO pins on Raspberry Pi boards. It translates Python function calls into commands sent to the daemon, which handles the low-level hardware interaction. The library supports both Python 2 and Python 3 and has no external runtime dependencies, making installation simple.
The package is intended for projects that need to read or write GPIO pins—controlling digital I/O devices connected to a Raspberry Pi. It abstracts away the complexity of direct memory-mapped hardware access by delegating to the daemon, which runs as a separate process and can be accessed over the network. However, the project has been abandoned since 2020, so it is best suited for maintaining existing code or for educational use on stable hardware rather than as a foundation for new projects.
Use it for
- Control digital outputs connected to Raspberry Pi GPIO pins in Python applications.
- Read button presses or sensor inputs from GPIO pins in a Python application.
- Build home automation or robotics projects that interact with GPIO-connected devices.
- Prototype hardware experiments on Raspberry Pi with simple Python scripts.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are maintaining existing code that already uses pigpio or need a straightforward GPIO interface for a stable, unchanging Raspberry Pi project.
No, if you are starting a new project—consider more actively maintained alternatives. The lack of updates since 2020-09-29 and abandoned status mean you will not receive bug fixes or support for newer hardware or Python versions.
Install
pigpio on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies, but the project is abandoned—last release was 2020-09-29, over 2145 days ago. Use only if you are maintaining existing code or targeting stable, unchanging hardware interfaces.
Requires the pigpio daemon to be running on the Raspberry Pi; the Python module is a client that communicates with it, not a standalone GPIO driver.
License in practice
Licensed under unlicense.org (permissive), placing the code in the public domain or near-equivalent terms with minimal restrictions on use or modification.
Quickstart
pip install pigpio
import pigpio
pi = pigpio.pi()
pi.set_mode(pigpio.OUTPUT)
pi.write(1)Verify before relying
- Whether the pigpio daemon is pre-installed or must be installed separately on modern Raspberry Pi OS distributions.
- Compatibility with recent Raspberry Pi hardware models and Python versions beyond those listed in classifiers.
- Specific GPIO pin numbering and control patterns supported by the daemon interface.
Package facts
| License | unlicense.org permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,145 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 135,993 / month, #11,409 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Programming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: pigpio-1.78-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also gpiozero · PIconnect · pymata-express · RPi.GPIO · gpiod · numato-gpio · pins · pyftdi · Adafruit-Blinka · zigpy-zigate