---
id: pyunormalize
version: "17.0.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# pyunormalize — A library for Unicode normalization (NFC, NFD, NFKC, NFKD) independent of Python's core Unicode database.

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 4.1M/mo

## What it is and what it does

pyunormalize is a pure-Python library that implements the Unicode normalization algorithm according to Unicode Standard version 17.0. It provides four normalization forms—NFC, NFD, NFKC, and NFKD—using its own Unicode character database (UCD) data, ensuring independence from whatever Unicode version is embedded in the host Python interpreter. This is useful when you need consistent, version-pinned normalization behavior across different Python environments or when the system's built-in Unicode support is older than the standard you need to conform to.

The package has no external runtime dependencies and is distributed as a pure-Python wheel. It has been tested against the official Unicode test file for accuracy. It supports Python 3.8 through 3.13 and is licensed under the MIT license, with Unicode data files governed by the Unicode Terms of Use.

Use it for:

- Normalize user-supplied text to a consistent form before comparison or storage in applications requiring strict Unicode 17.0 compliance.
- Process multilingual text (including Hangul and other complex scripts) with guaranteed normalization behavior independent of the Python version.
- Build text processing pipelines where Unicode normalization form must be explicitly controlled and version-pinned.
- Migrate legacy systems to Unicode 17.0 normalization without upgrading the entire Python runtime.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides Unicode normalization (NFC, NFD, NFKC, NFKD) using Unicode Standard version 17.0 data, independent of the host Python environment's built-in Unicode version.

Yes, if you need Unicode normalization with explicit version control (17.0) independent of your Python environment. The package is lightweight, has no dependencies, and covers all four standard normalization forms. Install it if your application requires consistent normalization across different systems or if you need to target a specific Unicode Standard version. Skip it if Python's built-in str.normalize() meets your needs.

## Install

pip install pyunormalize
uv add pyunormalize
poetry add pyunormalize

## Installing pyunormalize

Before you install: Low friction: pure-Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Maintenance status is aging (320 days since last release), but the repository is active and the package targets current Python versions (3.8–3.13).

License in practice: MIT license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute the code freely. Unicode data files are governed by the Unicode Terms of Use, a copy of which is included in the package.

Quickstart:

pip install pyunormalize

from pyunormalize import NFC, NFD

text = "élève"
nfc_form = NFC(text)
nfd_form = NFD(text)

Requires Python 3.8 or newer; Python 3.6 and 3.7 are no longer supported.

Verify before relying:

- Performance characteristics (speed, memory overhead) compared to Python's built-in str.normalize() method.
- Whether the package is actively maintained or in maintenance-only mode given the 320-day gap since last release.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 4.1M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

unicode normalization, nfc nfd nfkc nfkd, text normalization, unicode standard 17.0, pure python unicode, normalize unicode text, unicode character database, unicode, i18n, text-processing

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