reedsolo
Pure-Python Reed Solomon encoder/decoder
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Reedsolo is mature, actively maintained, has no dependencies, and is permissively licensed. Install it if you need to protect stored or transmitted data from burst errors and want a straightforward, well-tested implementation. The pure-Python version is fast enough for most use cases; the optional Cython build is available if you need more speed.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Low friction: pure-Python wheel with no runtime dependencies.
- Maintenance is active with recent commits; the library is mature (Development Status 6) and has been stable since its 2012 release.
License · maintenance · safety
Public Domain (permissive) — Public Domain license with permissive treatment; you may use, modify, and distribute freely without attribution requirements.
last release 2023-01-17 (1305 days) · last repo commit 2026-03-10 · 418 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 2,814,392 downloads/mo, #2,879 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install reedsolo
from reedsolo import RSCodec
rsc = RSCodec(10) # 10 error correction symbols
encoded = rsc.encode(b'hello world')
decoded_msg, _, _ = rsc.decode(encoded)
print(decoded_msg)- Whether the optional Cython build significantly improves performance for typical workloads
- Maximum practical message length before performance degrades
- Real-world bitrot detection rates compared to checksums or hashing
What it is and what it does
Reedsolo is a Reed-Solomon error-correction codec that protects data from corruption by adding redundancy symbols. It works with bytes and burst-type errors (common in storage media like hard drives) rather than bit-level noise. The library offers both a pure-Python implementation and an optional Cython-accelerated version for performance-critical use.
You initialize a codec with a number of error-correction symbols, then encode data by appending those symbols, and decode by passing potentially corrupted data back to recover the original. The codec can correct up to half as many errors as you have correction symbols, or twice as many erasures if you know which positions are corrupted. It's designed for data-at-rest scenarios (backup, archival, storage) rather than streaming or network transmission.
Use it for
- Protect archived files from bitrot by encoding with Reed-Solomon and storing the result on unreliable media
- Add redundancy to backup data so that a few corrupted sectors can be automatically repaired
- Implement erasure coding for distributed storage where some replicas may be lost or damaged
- Verify data integrity without decoding by using the check() method on received or stored messages
- Correct errors in QR codes or other burst-error-prone encoded data formats
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Reedsolo is mature, actively maintained, has no dependencies, and is permissively licensed. Install it if you need to protect stored or transmitted data from burst errors and want a straightforward, well-tested implementation. The pure-Python version is fast enough for most use cases; the optional Cython build is available if you need more speed.
Install
reedsolo on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction: pure-Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Maintenance is active with recent commits; the library is mature (Development Status 6) and has been stable since its 2012 release.
License in practice
Public Domain license with permissive treatment; you may use, modify, and distribute freely without attribution requirements.
Quickstart
pip install reedsolo
from reedsolo import RSCodec
rsc = RSCodec(10) # 10 error correction symbols
encoded = rsc.encode(b'hello world')
decoded_msg, _, _ = rsc.decode(encoded)
print(decoded_msg)Verify before relying
- Whether the optional Cython build significantly improves performance for typical workloads
- Maximum practical message length before performance degrades
- Real-world bitrot detection rates compared to checksums or hashing
Package facts
| License | Public Domain permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 1,305 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 2,814,392 / month, #2,879 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 6 - MatureIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Information TechnologyLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT No Attribution License (MIT-0)License :: OSI Approved :: The Unlicense (Unlicense)Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: CythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: CommunicationsTopic :: Scientific/Engineering :: MathematicsTopic :: System :: Archiving :: BackupTopic :: System :: Recovery Tools |
Evidence: reedsolo-1.7.0-py3-none-any.whl
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