python-neo-lzf
A fork of python-lzf with pre-built wheel files.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need fast compression for small data blocks and are comfortable with a low-level API that requires explicit size handling. The pre-built wheels and broad Python version support reduce friction. However, the aging maintenance status (232 days since last release, only 2 stars) and lack of active development signal suggest this is stable but not actively evolving—suitable for stable use cases, not for projects expecting ongoing feature work.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- compress() may return None if data cannot be compressed to fit within the default or specified max_length; decompress() requires knowing the expected uncompressed size in advance.
- Medium install friction due to compiled C extensions; however, pre-built wheels are available for Python 3.7–3.14 across macOS, Linux (including musllinux), and Windows architectures.
- Last release was 232 days ago; maintenance status is aging.
License · maintenance · safety
BSD-3-Clause (permissive) — BSD-3-Clause is permissive and places minimal restrictions on use, modification, and distribution in both commercial and open-source contexts.
last release 2025-12-25 (232 days) · last repo commit 2025-12-25 · 2 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 83,064 downloads/mo, #14,103 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
import python_neo_lzf
data = b'hello world'
compressed = python_neo_lzf.compress(data)
if compressed:
decompressed = python_neo_lzf.decompress(compressed, len(data))
print(decompressed)- Whether the package is actively maintained beyond the aging status signal (last commit 2025-12-25, but only 2 repository stars).
- Performance benchmarks comparing this fork to the original python-lzf or other compression libraries.
- Specific use cases where the optional max_length constraint in compress() provides practical value.
What it is and what it does
python-neo-lzf is a Python binding to the liblzf C compression library, offering two core functions: compress() to shrink bytes and decompress() to expand them. It is designed as a low-level tool for applications that need fast compression and decompression of small data blocks, with no runtime dependencies beyond Python itself.
The package is a fork that bundles pre-built wheels for Python 3.7–3.14 across multiple platforms (macOS, Linux variants, Windows), eliminating the need to compile C extensions at install time. Both compress() and decompress() can return None under specific conditions—compress() when data cannot fit within a size limit, and decompress() when the result does not match the expected size—so callers must handle these cases.
Use it for
- Compress small network packets or message payloads where speed matters more than maximum compression ratio.
- Decompress liblzf-compressed data streams in applications that need to interoperate with C/C++ systems using liblzf.
- Cache compression in memory-constrained environments where fast encode/decode of small blocks is critical.
- Embedded data serialization where a lightweight, low-level compression binding is preferred over heavier libraries.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need fast compression for small data blocks and are comfortable with a low-level API that requires explicit size handling.
The pre-built wheels and broad Python version support reduce friction. However, the aging maintenance status (232 days since last release, only 2 stars) and lack of active development signal suggest this is stable but not actively evolving—suitable for stable use cases, not for projects expecting ongoing feature work.
Install
python-neo-lzf on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled C extensions; however, pre-built wheels are available for Python 3.7–3.14 across macOS, Linux (including musllinux), and Windows architectures. Last release was 232 days ago; maintenance status is aging.
compress() may return None if data cannot be compressed to fit within the default or specified max_length; decompress() requires knowing the expected uncompressed size in advance.
License in practice
BSD-3-Clause is permissive and places minimal restrictions on use, modification, and distribution in both commercial and open-source contexts.
Quickstart
import python_neo_lzf
data = b'hello world'
compressed = python_neo_lzf.compress(data)
if compressed:
decompressed = python_neo_lzf.decompress(compressed, len(data))
print(decompressed)Verify before relying
- Whether the package is actively maintained beyond the aging status signal (last commit 2025-12-25, but only 2 repository stars).
- Performance benchmarks comparing this fork to the original python-lzf or other compression libraries.
- Specific use cases where the optional max_length constraint in compress() provides practical value.
Package facts
| License | BSD-3-Clause permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.7 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Aging 232 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 83,064 / month, #14,103 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 :: DevelopersNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: CProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: System :: Archiving :: Compression |
Evidence: python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-macosx_10_9_universal2.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-manylinux1_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.manylinux_2_5_x86_64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-win32.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-macosx_10_9_universal2.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-manylinux1_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.manylinux_2_5_x86_64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-win32.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp312-cp312-macosx_10_13_universal2.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp312-cp312-manylinux1_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.manylinux_2_5_x86_64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp312-cp312-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp312-cp312-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp312-cp312-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; python_neo_lzf-0.3.5-cp312-cp312-win32.whl
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