recursive-diff
Recursively compare two Python data structures
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs with low friction, and solves a real problem for anyone comparing complex nested data structures—especially in scientific and data engineering contexts. The Apache license is permissive. Install it if you regularly need to understand what differs between two versions of a pandas, xarray, or deeply nested Python object.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- Low friction installation with a pure-Python wheel.
- Actively maintained as of March 2026 with recent commits; marked Production/Stable.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache (permissive) — Licensed under Apache (permissive), so you can use it freely in commercial and open-source projects without copyleft obligations.
last release 2026-03-12 (155 days) · last repo commit 2026-03-13 · 22 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 103,645 downloads/mo, #12,793 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install recursive-diff
import recursive_diff
result = recursive_diff.recursive_diff({'a': 1}, {'a': 2})
print(result)- Whether the package handles circular references or deeply nested structures gracefully.
- Performance characteristics when comparing very large pandas DataFrames or xarray Datasets.
- What format the diff output takes and whether it's suitable for programmatic consumption.
What it is and what it does
recursive_diff is a utility for comparing two Python objects at any depth and reporting what differs between them. It's designed with scientific computing in mind—it has special handling for numpy arrays, pandas DataFrames, and xarray Datasets—so it can compare these structured data types meaningfully rather than just comparing object identity. The package is actively maintained, marked as Production/Stable, and requires Python 3.9 or later.
You would use it when you need to understand what changed between two versions of a complex nested data structure, whether that's a plain dict, a pandas table, or an xarray Dataset. It's particularly useful in testing, data validation, and debugging workflows where you want to see exactly which fields or rows differ rather than just getting a boolean 'equal or not' answer.
Use it for
- Compare two pandas DataFrames to identify which rows or columns changed between versions.
- Validate that a data transformation pipeline produced the expected output by diffing before and after states.
- Debug scientific computations by recursively comparing xarray Datasets to spot where values diverged.
- Write tests that verify nested configuration dictionaries or API responses match expected structures.
- Track changes in nested Python objects during development or data processing workflows.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs with low friction, and solves a real problem for anyone comparing complex nested data structures—especially in scientific and data engineering contexts. The Apache license is permissive. Install it if you regularly need to understand what differs between two versions of a pandas, xarray, or deeply nested Python object.
Install
recursive-diff on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction installation with a pure-Python wheel. Actively maintained as of March 2026 with recent commits; marked Production/Stable. Depends on numpy, pandas, and xarray, which are widely available.
Requires Python 3.9 or later.
License in practice
Licensed under Apache (permissive), so you can use it freely in commercial and open-source projects without copyleft obligations.
Quickstart
pip install recursive-diff
import recursive_diff
result = recursive_diff.recursive_diff({'a': 1}, {'a': 2})
print(result)Verify before relying
- Whether the package handles circular references or deeply nested structures gracefully.
- Performance characteristics when comparing very large pandas DataFrames or xarray Datasets.
- What format the diff output takes and whether it's suitable for programmatic consumption.
Package facts
| License | Apache permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 3 packagesnumpypandasxarray |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 155 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 103,645 / month, #12,793 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 :: Science/ResearchOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Free Threading :: 2 - BetaTopic :: Scientific/Engineering |
Evidence: recursive_diff-2.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
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