---
id: python-lzf
version: "0.2.6"
license: BSD
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# python-lzf — C Extension for liblzf

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 114.3K/mo

## What it is and what it does

python-lzf is a thin C extension that wraps the liblzf compression library, exposing two core functions: compress() to reduce data size and decompress() to restore it. The library is designed for speed and minimal overhead, making it suitable for scenarios where fast, simple compression is needed without the overhead of heavier algorithms.

The package has no runtime dependencies beyond the system liblzf library. However, it is a compiled C extension, so installation requires a working C compiler and liblzf headers. The repository is archived and unmaintained as of the latest release in June 2024, and Python version support is unspecified—this creates risk for compatibility with modern Python versions.

Use it for:

- Compress small to medium data payloads in-memory where speed matters more than compression ratio.
- Embed lightweight compression in applications that already depend on liblzf at the system level.
- Legacy projects that already use python-lzf and need to continue running on older Python versions.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides Python bindings to the liblzf compression library, exposing compress() and decompress() functions for fast, lightweight data compression.

No. The package is abandoned (archived repository, no active maintenance since June 2024), has high install friction due to C compilation requirements, and offers no documented Python version support. Unless you are maintaining legacy code already using it, prefer modern, actively maintained alternatives like zstandard or lz4 that offer similar performance with better toolchain support.

## Install

pip install python-lzf
uv add python-lzf
poetry add python-lzf

## Installing python-lzf

Before you install: High install friction: the package is a C extension requiring compilation. The repository is archived and abandoned—last commit was 2024-06-13 but no active maintenance. With 792 days since the last release, expect no fixes for compatibility issues with newer Python versions or build toolchains.

License in practice: BSD license (permissive) places no restrictions on use, modification, or redistribution in proprietary or open-source contexts.

Quickstart:

pip install python-lzf

import lzf
compressed = lzf.compress(b'data to compress')
original = lzf.decompress(compressed, len(b'data to compress'))

Requires a C compiler and liblzf development headers installed on the system; Python version support is unspecified and may not work on modern Python versions.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package builds and runs on current Python versions (3.10+); no Python version constraint is documented.
- Current status of liblzf system library availability and compatibility across platforms.
- Whether compress() and decompress() behavior with None returns is well-documented for error handling.

## Package facts

- License: BSD (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 114.3K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

lzf compression python, liblzf bindings, fast data compression, compress decompress library, c extension compression, lightweight compression, c-extension, abandoned

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