scour
Scour SVG Optimizer
What it is and what it does
Scour is an SVG optimizer designed to reduce file size by removing redundant information typically introduced by SVG editors. It works by analyzing the structure of SVG files and stripping unnecessary data while keeping the visual output identical. The tool is primarily used as a command-line utility and can be integrated into build pipelines or used standalone for one-off optimization tasks.
The package has been stable since its 2013 release and is classified as Production/Stable. However, it has not received a new release since 2020-11-22, making it dormant in terms of active development. It carries no runtime dependencies and is intended for developers and system administrators who need to optimize SVG graphics for web deployment or further processing.
Use it for:
- Optimize SVG files for web deployment to reduce bandwidth and improve page load times.
- Clean up SVG exports from design tools before publishing or sharing graphics.
- Integrate SVG optimization into build pipelines as a preprocessing step.
- Reduce file size of vector graphics for embedded or resource-constrained environments.
- Prepare SVG files for further processing or conversion by removing editor-specific metadata.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Scour optimizes and cleans SVG files by removing redundant data and simplifying structure, reducing file size while preserving visual output.
Yes, if you need a stable, dependency-free SVG optimizer for established workflows. The package is mature and carries no known vulnerabilities. However, the dormant status (no release since 2020-11-22) means it will not receive updates for new Python versions or SVG specification changes. Install only if your SVG optimization needs are stable and you do not require ongoing maintenance or support.
Install
scour on PyPI
pip
pip install scouruv
uv add scourpoetry
poetry add scourInstalling scour
Before you install
High install friction with no runtime dependencies. The package is dormant—last release was 2020-11-22, over 2091 days ago, though the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2024-08-16. Suitable for stable, established workflows but not for projects requiring ongoing maintenance or updates.
License in practice
Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (permissive). You can use, modify, and distribute scour freely in commercial and private projects, provided you include the license notice.
Quickstart
pip install scour==0.38.2
scour -i input.svg -o output.svg
Scour is a command-line tool; no Python version requirement is specified in the package metadata.
Verify before relying
- Whether scour works with modern Python versions (3.10+) despite no explicit version constraint in metadata.
- What 'high install friction' specifically means for this package (compiled dependencies, system requirements, or other barriers).
Package facts
| License | Apache License 2.0 (permissive) |
| Python support | not specified |
| Install friction | high — source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | none |
| Maintenance | dormant — 2,091 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 135,724/month — #11,420 on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-14) |
| Known vulnerabilities | none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14) |
Evidence: scour-0.38.2.tar.gz
Keywords: svg, optimizer
Tags
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