pyunpack
unpack archive files
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need to extract ZIP files or have external archive tools already installed and don't mind dormant maintenance. The low install friction and permissive license make it a reasonable choice for simple unpacking tasks. However, for active projects requiring frequent updates or password support, consider whether patool or another maintained alternative better fits your needs.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- For formats beyond ZIP, external command-line tools (unzip, unrar, p7zip-full, etc.) must be installed on the system; patool is recommended but its latest PyPI release is from 2016.
- Low install friction with just two lightweight runtime dependencies (easyprocess and entrypoint2).
- However, the package is dormant—last release was 2022-06-06 and last commit 2023-11-01—so maintenance is minimal.
License · maintenance · safety
BSD (permissive) — BSD license is permissive, allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions. No notable licensing constraints for typical use.
last release 2022-06-06 (1530 days) · last repo commit 2023-11-01 · 109 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 373,181 downloads/mo, #7,154 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pyunpack
from pyunpack import Archive
Archive('hello.zip').extractall('.')- Whether patool's GitHub master branch (recommended for password support) is stable enough for production use
- Current compatibility with Python 3.12 despite classifier listing, given dormant maintenance status
What it is and what it does
pyunpack is a Python wrapper for unpacking archive files that provides both a library interface and command-line tool. It uses Python's built-in zipfile module for ZIP archives and delegates to the patool command-line tool for other formats like TAR, RAR, 7z, BZIP2, GZIP, and many others. The package supports password-protected archives and offers a simple API: instantiate an Archive object with a file path and call extractall() to extract to a directory.
The main trade-off is that ZIP extraction works out of the box, but other formats require external system tools to be installed separately. The package is dormant—last updated in 2022—so it receives no active maintenance. It works on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and supports Python 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, and 3.12 according to its description.
Use it for
- Extract ZIP files in a Python script without external dependencies beyond the standard library.
- Unpack password-protected archives programmatically when external tools are available.
- Build a cross-platform archive extraction tool that handles multiple formats via a single Python interface.
- Automate archive extraction in a command-line workflow using the built-in CLI.
- Support diverse archive formats (7z, RAR, TAR, etc.) in a Python application by delegating to system tools.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need to extract ZIP files or have external archive tools already installed and don't mind dormant maintenance.
The low install friction and permissive license make it a reasonable choice for simple unpacking tasks. However, for active projects requiring frequent updates or password support, consider whether patool or another maintained alternative better fits your needs.
Install
pyunpack on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with just two lightweight runtime dependencies (easyprocess and entrypoint2). However, the package is dormant—last release was 2022-06-06 and last commit 2023-11-01—so maintenance is minimal. For formats beyond ZIP, you'll need to install external tools like unzip, unrar, or p7zip-full separately.
For formats beyond ZIP, external command-line tools (unzip, unrar, p7zip-full, etc.) must be installed on the system; patool is recommended but its latest PyPI release is from 2016.
License in practice
BSD license is permissive, allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions. No notable licensing constraints for typical use.
Quickstart
pip install pyunpack
from pyunpack import Archive
Archive('hello.zip').extractall('.')Verify before relying
- Whether patool's GitHub master branch (recommended for password support) is stable enough for production use
- Current compatibility with Python 3.12 despite classifier listing, given dormant maintenance status
Package facts
| License | BSD permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 2 packageseasyprocessentrypoint2 |
| Maintenance | Dormant 1,530 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 373,181 / month, #7,154 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9 |
Evidence: pyunpack-0.3-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also extractcode · patool · rarfile · unix-ar · py7zr · unrar · zip-files · libarchive-c · handy-archives · conda-package-handling