shutils
Tools for python development.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No. The package is abandoned, offers no clear documentation of what it provides, has high install friction, and has not been updated since 2020-05-01. Even though it carries no known vulnerabilities and uses a permissive license, the lack of maintenance, unclear functionality, and minimal adoption make it a poor choice for new projects. Only consider it if you are maintaining legacy code that already depends on it.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Package is abandoned; no Python version specification provided and no active maintenance to address compatibility issues with modern Python releases.
- High install friction and abandoned maintenance status since 2020-05-01.
- The package has not been updated in many years and receives minimal community attention (4 repository stars).
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — Licensed under MIT (permissive), so no legal restriction on use, modification, or distribution—but the lack of active maintenance means no one is addressing potential issues or security concerns.
last release 2020-05-01 (2296 days) · last repo commit 2020-05-01 · 4 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 83,308 downloads/mo, #14,081 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install shutils
import shutils- What specific utilities or functions does the package actually provide—the description gives no detail beyond 'tools for python development'.
- Whether the package is compatible with Python versions released after 2020-05-01.
- Whether any of the utilities have been superseded by standard library or widely-maintained alternatives.
What it is and what it does
shutils is a utility library for Python development that was last updated on 2020-05-01 and is no longer actively maintained. The package summary describes it as providing 'tools for python development,' but the fact sheet contains no detail on what those tools are or what problems they solve. With zero runtime dependencies and minimal documentation, it appears to be a lightweight helper library, though its exact purpose and functionality remain unclear from the available metadata.
The package carries high install friction due to being distributed only as a source archive. More critically, it has been abandoned for many years with no updates, no issue responses, and minimal adoption (4 repository stars). Without active maintenance, there is no assurance of compatibility with modern Python versions or any response to security or compatibility issues that may arise.
Use it for
- Legacy projects that already depend on shutils and require it to remain installed for backward compatibility.
- Educational or archival purposes to study an older Python utility package design.
- Development environments where the specific utilities provided happen to solve a narrow, well-understood problem and no alternative is available.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No.
The package is abandoned, offers no clear documentation of what it provides, has high install friction, and has not been updated since 2020-05-01. Even though it carries no known vulnerabilities and uses a permissive license, the lack of maintenance, unclear functionality, and minimal adoption make it a poor choice for new projects. Only consider it if you are maintaining legacy code that already depends on it.
Install
shutils on PyPI
Before you install
High install friction and abandoned maintenance status since 2020-05-01. The package has not been updated in many years and receives minimal community attention (4 repository stars). Installation from source archive only.
Package is abandoned; no Python version specification provided and no active maintenance to address compatibility issues with modern Python releases.
License in practice
Licensed under MIT (permissive), so no legal restriction on use, modification, or distribution—but the lack of active maintenance means no one is addressing potential issues or security concerns.
Quickstart
pip install shutils
import shutilsVerify before relying
- What specific utilities or functions does the package actually provide—the description gives no detail beyond 'tools for python development'.
- Whether the package is compatible with Python versions released after 2020-05-01.
- Whether any of the utilities have been superseded by standard library or widely-maintained alternatives.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | High. Source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,296 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 83,308 / month, #14,081 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
Evidence: shutils-0.1.0.tar.gz
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