---
id: pyflakes
version: "3.4.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# pyflakes — passive checker of Python programs

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Popularity: top 1,000 on PyPI

## Install

pip install pyflakes
uv add pyflakes
poetry add pyflakes

## Description

========
Pyflakes
========

A simple program which checks Python source files for errors.

Pyflakes analyzes programs and detects various errors.  It works by
parsing the source file, not importing it, so it is safe to use on
modules with side effects.  It's also much faster.

It is `available on PyPI <https://pypi.org/project/pyflakes/>`_
and it supports all active versions of Python: 3.9+.



Installation
------------

It can be installed with::

  $ pip install --upgrade pyflakes


Useful tips:

* Be sure to install it for a version of Python which is compatible
  with your codebase: ``python#.# -m pip install pyflakes`` (for example,
  ``python3.10 -m pip install pyflakes``)

* You can also invoke Pyflakes with ``python#.# -m pyflakes .`` if you want
  to run it for a specific python version.

* If you require more options and more flexibility, you could give a
  look to Flake8_ too.


Design Principles
-----------------
Pyflakes makes a simple promise: it will never complain about style,
and it will try very, very hard to never emit false positives.

Pyflakes is also faster than Pylint_. This is
largely because Pyflakes only examines the syntax tree of each...

## AI interpretation — verify before relying

Pyflakes is a fast, lightweight static checker that detects errors in Python source files by parsing syntax without importing, making it safe for code with side effects.

Verdict: Pyflakes is a mature, well-maintained static checker with zero known vulnerabilities, no dependencies, and permissive licensing. Its low install friction and focus on error detection without false positives make it a reliable choice for Python code quality workflows, though its last release was over a year ago.

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/pyflakes) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/pyflakes/)