---
id: random2
version: "1.0.2"
license: Python 2.1.1
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: dormant
---

# random2 — Python 3 compatible Python 2 `random` Module.

License: permissive · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 171.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Random2 is a backport of Python 2.7's random module to Python 3. It exists to solve a specific compatibility problem: Python 3 changed the implementation of randrange(), so even with an identical seed, Python 2 and Python 3 produce different random sequences. This breaks reproducibility in test suites and other code that depends on stable, predictable random output across Python versions.

The package provides a drop-in replacement that generates the same sequence as Python 2.7 when given the same seed. It has no external dependencies and installs as a pure Python wheel. It is most useful for porting legacy test code or simulations from Python 2 to Python 3 without having to rewrite all the expected random outputs.

Use it for:

- Porting Python 2 test suites to Python 3 while keeping random-number expectations unchanged.
- Running stochastic simulations or Monte Carlo code that was originally written for Python 2 and requires identical results.
- Comparing random-number behavior between Python 2 and Python 3 implementations of the same algorithm.
- Reproducing historical results from Python 2 code that relied on specific random sequences.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides Python 2.7's random module implementation for Python 3, ensuring identical random sequences when using the same seed across Python versions.

Yes, if you are porting Python 2 code to Python 3 and need deterministic random sequences to remain stable. No, if you are writing new Python 3 code—use the native random module instead. The package is dormant but stable, carries no known vulnerabilities, and has minimal friction. It solves a narrow, real problem for legacy code migration.

## Install

pip install random2
uv add random2
poetry add random2

## Installing random2

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Dormant maintenance status (970 days since last release) but marked Production/Stable and updated to support Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, and 3.13 as of 2023-12-18.

License in practice: Licensed under Python Software Foundation License (permissive), imposing no significant restrictions on use or redistribution.

Quickstart:

pip install random2

import random2
random2.seed(0)
print(random2.randint(1, 10))

Requires Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, or 3.13; earlier Python 3 versions are not supported by version 1.0.2.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the Python 2.7 random algorithm implementation is mathematically identical to the original or only functionally equivalent for typical use cases.
- Performance characteristics compared to Python 3's native random module.
- Specific numeric output examples to verify seed reproducibility across Python versions.

## Package facts

- License: Python 2.1.1 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 171.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

python 2 random module python 3, reproducible random sequences cross-version, python 2.7 random compatibility, stable random generator results, randrange python 2 behavior, seed-stable random numbers, python version random compatibility, python-2-compat, reproducibility, testing

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