spidev
Python bindings for Linux SPI access through spidev
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are developing on Linux with SPI hardware and need straightforward Python access to it. The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has no known vulnerabilities. Install friction is moderate due to platform specificity, and maintenance is aging but not abandoned. Not suitable for non-Linux systems or projects requiring active feature development.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Linux kernel with spidev driver enabled and access to /dev/spidev* device files; typically runs on embedded Linux systems (Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, etc.) or systems with SPI hardware controllers.
- Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheel availability (ARM Linux only in the evidence shown).
- The package is in aging maintenance status with a last commit in December 2025, but carries production-stable classification and no known vulnerabilities.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive and imposes no significant restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in your own projects.
last release 2025-09-15 (333 days) · last repo commit 2025-12-19 · 480 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 121,457 downloads/mo, #11,978 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
import spidev
spi = spidev.SpiDev()
spi.open_path("/dev/spidev0.0")
spi.max_speed_hz = 5000
spi.mode = 0b01
to_send = [0x01, 0x02, 0x03]
response = spi.xfer(to_send)
spi.close()- Whether the package supports modern Python versions beyond what the classifiers indicate (Python 2.6, 2.7, 3 are listed but no specific 3.x versions stated).
- Current state of active maintenance and whether aging status reflects planned long-term support or de facto abandonment.
What it is and what it does
Spidev is a thin Python wrapper around the Linux kernel's spidev userspace API for controlling SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) devices. It allows you to open a device file (typically /dev/spidev0.0), configure SPI parameters like clock speed and mode, and then read from or write to connected hardware. The package handles the low-level ioctl calls needed to communicate with the kernel driver, abstracting away the C API details.
The module is used primarily on embedded Linux systems—Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, and similar platforms—where you need to talk to SPI-connected peripherals like sensors, displays, or memory chips. It supports configurable settings (speed, polarity, phase, chip-select behavior) and provides both simple read/write operations and full duplex transfers. The package has no runtime dependencies beyond the Linux kernel and spidev driver itself.
Use it for
- Control SPI-connected displays or LED matrices on a Raspberry Pi or similar embedded board.
- Read sensor data from SPI-based accelerometers, temperature sensors, or analog-to-digital converters.
- Interface with SPI flash memory chips or SD card controllers for embedded storage access.
- Communicate with external SPI-connected microcontrollers or FPGAs in a larger embedded system.
- Prototype hardware interfaces in Python without writing C kernel modules or using lower-level system calls directly.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are developing on Linux with SPI hardware and need straightforward Python access to it.
The package is stable, permissively licensed, and has no known vulnerabilities. Install friction is moderate due to platform specificity, and maintenance is aging but not abandoned. Not suitable for non-Linux systems or projects requiring active feature development.
Install
spidev on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheel availability (ARM Linux only in the evidence shown). The package is in aging maintenance status with a last commit in December 2025, but carries production-stable classification and no known vulnerabilities. Suitable for stable embedded projects but not actively developed.
Requires Linux kernel with spidev driver enabled and access to /dev/spidev* device files; typically runs on embedded Linux systems (Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, etc.) or systems with SPI hardware controllers.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive and imposes no significant restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in your own projects.
Quickstart
import spidev
spi = spidev.SpiDev()
spi.open_path("/dev/spidev0.0")
spi.max_speed_hz = 5000
spi.mode = 0b01
to_send = [0x01, 0x02, 0x03]
response = spi.xfer(to_send)
spi.close()Verify before relying
- Whether the package supports modern Python versions beyond what the classifiers indicate (Python 2.6, 2.7, 3 are listed but no specific 3.x versions stated).
- Current state of active maintenance and whether aging status reflects planned long-term support or de facto abandonment.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Aging 333 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 121,457 / month, #11,978 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/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.6Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: System :: HardwareTopic :: System :: Hardware :: Hardware Drivers |
Evidence: spidev-3.8-cp39-cp39-linux_armv7l.whl
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