sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp
sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp is a sphinx extension which renders HTML help files
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need HTML Help output from Sphinx. The extension is stable, has no external dependencies, and carries a permissive license. Install friction is minimal. The dormant maintenance status is not a concern for a feature-complete tool, but verify whether Sphinx itself is already in your environment before adding this package.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later and Sphinx as a peer dependency (not listed in this package's runtime deps but required to use it).
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- Maintenance is dormant—last release was 746 days ago, though the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2024-10-25.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — Licensed under a permissive BSD license, allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions.
last release 2024-07-29 (746 days) · last repo commit 2024-10-25 · 2 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 27,665,575 downloads/mo, #852 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp
# In conf.py:
extensions = ['sphinxcontrib.htmlhelp']
# Then build with: sphinx-build -b htmlhelp source build/htmlhelp- Whether Sphinx is automatically installed as a dependency or must be installed separately.
- Whether this extension is still actively maintained or if functionality has been merged into Sphinx core.
What it is and what it does
sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp is a Sphinx extension that adds HTML Help output support to Sphinx documentation builds. It processes reStructuredText source files and generates compiled HTML help files suitable for Windows Help systems and other help viewers. The extension integrates directly into Sphinx's build pipeline and requires no runtime dependencies beyond Sphinx itself.
This is a stable, production-grade tool used primarily by documentation projects that need to distribute help files in HTML Help format. It supports modern Python versions (3.9 through 3.13) and is part of the broader Sphinx ecosystem. The dormant maintenance status reflects that the extension is feature-complete rather than abandoned—it continues to receive occasional updates and the underlying repository remains accessible.
Use it for
- Generate Windows HTML Help (.chm) files from Sphinx documentation projects.
- Create compiled HTML help output as part of a multi-format documentation build pipeline.
- Distribute offline help files alongside software applications built with Sphinx-documented code.
- Maintain legacy documentation workflows that require HTML Help format compatibility.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need HTML Help output from Sphinx.
The extension is stable, has no external dependencies, and carries a permissive license. Install friction is minimal. The dormant maintenance status is not a concern for a feature-complete tool, but verify whether Sphinx itself is already in your environment before adding this package.
Install
sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Maintenance is dormant—last release was 746 days ago, though the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2024-10-25. Suitable for stable use in existing Sphinx workflows.
Requires Python 3.9 or later and Sphinx as a peer dependency (not listed in this package's runtime deps but required to use it).
License in practice
Licensed under a permissive BSD license, allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp
# In conf.py:
extensions = ['sphinxcontrib.htmlhelp']
# Then build with: sphinx-build -b htmlhelp source build/htmlhelpVerify before relying
- Whether Sphinx is automatically installed as a dependency or must be installed separately.
- Whether this extension is still actively maintained or if functionality has been merged into Sphinx core.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Dormant 746 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 27,665,575 / month, #852 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/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleEnvironment :: Web EnvironmentFramework :: SphinxFramework :: Sphinx :: ExtensionIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: EducationLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseOperating 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 :: 3.9Topic :: DocumentationTopic :: Documentation :: SphinxTopic :: Text ProcessingTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: sphinxcontrib_htmlhelp-2.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also Sphinx · sphinxcontrib-applehelp · sphinxcontrib-serializinghtml · sphinxcontrib-websupport · sphinxcontrib-devhelp · sphinxcontrib-qthelp · sphinxcontrib.datatemplates · sphinxcontrib-jsmath · sphinx-argparse · sphinxcontrib-jquery