---
id: smithy-aws-core
version: "0.9.0"
license: Apache License 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# smithy-aws-core — Core Smithy components for AWS services and protocols.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 410.0K/mo

## What it is and what it does

smithy-aws-core is a low-level Python library that provides foundational runtime components for async service clients generated from Smithy service definitions. It supplies protocol handlers, core interfaces, and utilities that generated clients depend on, working alongside the Smithy code generator. The package is part of the broader Smithy Python ecosystem.

The library targets developers generating Python clients from Smithy models—either full service clients or type definitions for shapes. It currently supports the restJson1 protocol and depends on aws-sdk-signers, smithy-core, and smithy-http. The package requires Python 3.12 or later and explicitly marks all interfaces as subject to change, reflecting its pre-alpha development stage.

Use it for:

- Generate async Python service clients from Smithy models for experimental or internal services
- Build type-safe Python classes for Smithy shape definitions without generating full clients
- Prototype REST/JSON service clients before production deployment
- Integrate Smithy-defined services into Python applications using async/await patterns

## Worth the install?

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

Provides core runtime components and protocol implementations for async Python service clients generated from Smithy service models.

Yes, if you are actively generating Smithy-based Python clients and accept pre-alpha instability. The package is actively maintained, has low install friction, and carries no known vulnerabilities. However, do not use in production systems—the documentation explicitly warns that interfaces are unstable and several features remain unimplemented. Install only when you are part of the Smithy code generation workflow.

## Install

pip install smithy-aws-core
uv add smithy-aws-core
poetry add smithy-aws-core

## Installing smithy-aws-core

Before you install: Active maintenance with a release within the last day. Low install friction with only three runtime dependencies (aws-sdk-signers, smithy-core, smithy-http). Pre-alpha status means interfaces remain unstable.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

# Install
pip install smithy-aws-core

# Import core components
from smithy_aws_core import (
    aws_sdk_signers,
    smithy_core,
    smithy_http
)

Requires Python 3.12 or later. This package is a runtime dependency for code generated by the Smithy Python code generator; it is not typically instantiated directly but rather used by generated client code.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package is suitable for any production workloads despite pre-alpha status
- Performance characteristics and scalability limits for generated clients
- Compatibility with non-AWS Smithy services beyond restJson1 protocol

## Package facts

- License: Apache License 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 410.0K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

smithy python sdk core, smithy protocol implementation, async python service client, smithy code generation runtime, rest json protocol handler, smithy service client library, code-generation, async-client, pre-alpha

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