---
id: py3rijndael
version: "0.3.3"
license: MIT License
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# py3rijndael — Rijndael algorithm library for Python3.

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 166.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

py3rijndael is a pure-Python implementation of the Rijndael block cipher algorithm, which is the basis of the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). It was created as an alternative to older or unmaintained cryptography libraries, offering a self-contained Python 3 implementation with no compiled dependencies. The package provides direct access to the Rijndael algorithm without wrapping or additional abstractions.

The package has been abandoned since its last release on 2019-06-20 and receives no active maintenance or security updates. While it carries an MIT License and has low installation friction, its lack of ongoing development means it does not benefit from bug fixes, performance improvements, or responses to newly discovered cryptographic issues. For new projects, maintained alternatives are strongly preferred.

Use it for:

- Educational exploration of the Rijndael cipher and AES algorithm internals in Python.
- Legacy systems or scripts that depend on this specific implementation and cannot easily migrate.
- Scenarios where a pure-Python, dependency-free encryption implementation is required despite maintenance concerns.
- Prototyping or testing where cryptographic production-readiness is not a requirement.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

py3rijndael provides a pure-Python implementation of the Rijndael algorithm (the cipher underlying AES) for Python 3, with no external runtime dependencies.

No. The package is abandoned (last update 2019-06-20) with no security maintenance. For any production or security-sensitive use, choose a maintained alternative. For educational purposes only, the lack of documentation and active support makes it a poor learning resource.

## Install

pip install py3rijndael
uv add py3rijndael
poetry add py3rijndael

## Installing py3rijndael

Before you install: Installation is frictionless, but the package is abandoned: last release was 2019-06-20. No active maintenance or security updates.

License in practice: MIT License permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, requiring only attribution and including a liability disclaimer.

Quickstart:

pip install py3rijndael

from py3rijndael import rijndael
# See repository tests for usage examples

Package documentation is minimal; usage requires consulting the test suite in the repository.

Verify before relying:

- Whether this implementation has been audited for cryptographic correctness or is suitable for production use.
- How this pure-Python implementation compares in performance and security to maintained alternatives.
- Whether the package works reliably on modern Python versions beyond those listed in classifiers (3.4-3.7).

## Package facts

- License: MIT License (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 166.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

rijndael encryption python, aes cipher python3, rijndael algorithm implementation, python cryptography library, symmetric encryption rijndael, abandoned, cryptography, pure-python

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