pymunk
Pymunk is a easy-to-use pythonic 2D physics library
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Pymunk is a mature, actively maintained library with no known vulnerabilities, permissive MIT licensing, and a single lightweight dependency. Install friction is medium but manageable via prebuilt wheels. It is the right choice if you need 2D rigid body physics in Python—especially for games or simulations—and want to avoid implementing collision and constraint solvers yourself.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later; binary wheels available for common platforms, but compilation from source requires a C compiler.
- Medium install friction due to compiled wheels for multiple platforms and Python versions.
- Active maintenance with recent release (58 days ago) and 1062 repository stars.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for games, simulations, and research projects without licensing concerns.
last release 2026-06-17 (58 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-06 · 1,062 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 379,140 downloads/mo, #7,111 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pymunk
import pymunk
space = pymunk.Space()
space.gravity = 0, -981
body = pymunk.Body()
body.position = 50, 100
poly = pymunk.Poly.create_box(body)
poly.mass = 10
space.add(body, poly)
space.step(0.02)- Whether performance is suitable for real-time game loops at typical frame rates
- Stability and API compatibility guarantees across minor version updates
- Whether constraint types and joint options cover specific simulation needs
What it is and what it does
Pymunk wraps the Chipmunk2D physics engine in a Pythonic API, letting you simulate 2D rigid bodies, collisions, and constraints without writing C code. You create a Space (simulation container), add bodies with shapes, set gravity and other properties, then step the simulation forward in time. It's designed to integrate with game frameworks or run standalone for physics demos and scientific simulations.
The library has been actively maintained since 2007 and is used in published research, game competition winners, and autonomous vehicle simulations. It requires Python 3.9 or later and depends only on cffi; binary wheels are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux on multiple architectures, making installation straightforward via pip.
Use it for
- Add realistic gravity, collisions, and rigid body dynamics to a game without implementing physics from scratch
- Simulate mechanical systems, pendulums, or constraint-based structures for research or educational demonstrations
- Prototype 2D physics interactions in a notebook or standalone script for algorithm validation
- Build interactive physics sandboxes where users can create and manipulate bodies and constraints in real time
- Test collision detection and response logic for game level design or agent navigation
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Pymunk is a mature, actively maintained library with no known vulnerabilities, permissive MIT licensing, and a single lightweight dependency. Install friction is medium but manageable via prebuilt wheels. It is the right choice if you need 2D rigid body physics in Python—especially for games or simulations—and want to avoid implementing collision and constraint solvers yourself.
Install
pymunk on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled wheels for multiple platforms and Python versions. Active maintenance with recent release (58 days ago) and 1062 repository stars. Single runtime dependency (cffi) is lightweight.
Requires Python 3.9 or later; binary wheels available for common platforms, but compilation from source requires a C compiler.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for games, simulations, and research projects without licensing concerns.
Quickstart
pip install pymunk
import pymunk
space = pymunk.Space()
space.gravity = 0, -981
body = pymunk.Body()
body.position = 50, 100
poly = pymunk.Poly.create_box(body)
poly.mass = 10
space.add(body, poly)
space.step(0.02)Verify before relying
- Whether performance is suitable for real-time game loops at typical frame rates
- Stability and API compatibility guarantees across minor version updates
- Whether constraint types and joint options cover specific simulation needs
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packagecffi |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 58 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 379,140 / month, #7,111 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Games/EntertainmentTopic :: Scientific/Engineering :: PhysicsTopic :: Software Development :: LibrariesTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: pygame |
Evidence: pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-macosx_10_9_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-win32.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-macosx_10_9_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-win32.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp312-cp312-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp312-cp312-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; pymunk-7.3.0-cp312-cp312-manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl
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