---
id: pyreadline
version: "2.1"
license: BSD
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# pyreadline — A python implmementation of GNU readline.

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 258.6K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Pyreadline is a pure-Python implementation of GNU readline for Windows, providing line-editing capabilities in interactive Python shells and console applications. It adds features like text selection with Shift+arrow keys, clipboard copy/paste, and keyboard shortcuts that would otherwise be unavailable on Windows consoles.

The package is Windows-specific and was last updated in 2015 to support Python 3.5. It has no runtime dependencies and installs as a binary wheel or source archive. However, the project is now abandoned with no active maintenance, making it unsuitable for modern Python versions or long-term use without significant risk of incompatibility.

Use it for:

- Enhance interactive Python shell experience on Windows with readline-like editing and history navigation.
- Add clipboard-based paste functionality to Windows console applications, including multi-line code pasting.
- Enable text selection and copy operations in Python REPL on Windows using keyboard shortcuts.
- Support legacy Windows 2000/XP systems running Python 2.7 or early Python 3 versions.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides GNU readline-like line editing and history functionality for Python on Windows, including text selection, clipboard operations, and keyboard shortcuts.

No. The package is abandoned (last release 2015) with no maintenance for nearly a decade, making it incompatible with modern Python versions. Windows now has better alternatives through IPython, Jupyter, or native improvements to the Python REPL. Install only if you are locked to Python 2.7 or 3.4–3.5 on legacy Windows systems with no other options.

## Install

pip install pyreadline
uv add pyreadline
poetry add pyreadline

## Installing pyreadline

Before you install: High install friction: platform-specific binary wheels (win32, win-amd64) are required; package is abandoned as of 2015 with no maintenance for nearly a decade, making compatibility with modern Python versions uncertain.

License in practice: BSD permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.

Quickstart:

pip install pyreadline
import pyreadline

Windows-only; requires Python 2.7 or 3.4–3.5 based on last tested versions; will not install or function on macOS or Linux.

Verify before relying:

- Whether package works with Python versions released after 3.5 (2015 release date suggests likely incompatibility).
- Current state of the GitHub repository and whether it remains the canonical source.
- Whether binary wheels are still available or if installation requires compilation.

## Package facts

- License: BSD (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 258.6K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

windows readline implementation, python line editing windows, gnu readline python windows, console text selection, interactive shell editing, windows-only, abandoned

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