pwdlib
Modern password hashing for Python
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need straightforward password hashing for modern Python projects. The library is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs cleanly, and supports Python 3.10–3.14. The Beta status is not a blocker given the narrow, focused scope. Install it if you want a simple, secure alternative; skip it only if you need legacy algorithm support or broader feature coverage.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later; optional algorithm backends must be installed via extras.
- Low friction install with a single runtime dependency (typing-extensions).
- The project is actively maintained with a recent release (2 days ago) and supports current Python versions (3.10–3.14), though it is still in Beta status.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — Licensed under MIT (permissive), so you can use, modify, and distribute the package freely in both open-source and proprietary projects without restriction.
last release 2026-08-12 (2 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-12 · 172 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 3,123,174 downloads/mo, #2,742 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pwdlib
from pwdlib import PasswordHash
password_hash = PasswordHash.recommended()
hash = password_hash.hash("herminetincture")
password_hash.verify("herminetincture", hash)- Whether algorithm implementations are directly embedded or delegated to external libraries.
- Performance characteristics and memory usage compared to alternatives.
- Complete list of supported hashing algorithms beyond those mentioned in quickstart.
What it is and what it does
pwdlib is a lightweight password hashing library for modern Python that wraps secure algorithms behind a simple, consistent API. It was created to address maintenance gaps in older libraries that will not work with Python 3.13 and later. The library deliberately keeps its scope narrow—it focuses on hashing and verifying passwords with modern, secure algorithms rather than attempting to support legacy algorithms.
You use it by creating a PasswordHash instance (typically via PasswordHash.recommended() to get sensible defaults), then calling hash() to create a password digest and verify() to check a plaintext password against a stored hash. It has a single runtime dependency (typing-extensions) and installs cleanly; optional algorithm backends are pulled in via pip extras.
Use it for
- Secure user authentication in web applications by hashing passwords at registration and verifying them at login.
- Modernizing authentication layers in projects that need to support Python 3.13 and later.
- Building password management systems that require modern, audited hashing algorithms without legacy algorithm support.
- Prototyping authentication where a minimal, well-maintained password API is preferred over larger libraries.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need straightforward password hashing for modern Python projects.
The library is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs cleanly, and supports Python 3.10–3.14. The Beta status is not a blocker given the narrow, focused scope. Install it if you want a simple, secure alternative; skip it only if you need legacy algorithm support or broader feature coverage.
Install
pwdlib on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction install with a single runtime dependency (typing-extensions). The project is actively maintained with a recent release (2 days ago) and supports current Python versions (3.10–3.14), though it is still in Beta status.
Requires Python 3.10 or later; optional algorithm backends must be installed via extras.
License in practice
Licensed under MIT (permissive), so you can use, modify, and distribute the package freely in both open-source and proprietary projects without restriction.
Quickstart
pip install pwdlib
from pwdlib import PasswordHash
password_hash = PasswordHash.recommended()
hash = password_hash.hash("herminetincture")
password_hash.verify("herminetincture", hash)Verify before relying
- Whether algorithm implementations are directly embedded or delegated to external libraries.
- Performance characteristics and memory usage compared to alternatives.
- Complete list of supported hashing algorithms beyond those mentioned in quickstart.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagetyping-extensions |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 2 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 3,123,174 / month, #2,742 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 LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: SecurityTopic :: Security :: Cryptography |
Evidence: pwdlib-0.3.1-py3-none-any.whl
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Install only if maintaining existing code that already depends on it, and plan a migration.
See also bcrypt · Flask-Bcrypt · passlib · libpass · argon2-cffi · AuthEncoding · types-passlib · hashring · pwned-passwords-django