---
id: thrift-sasl
version: "0.4.3"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# thrift-sasl — Thrift SASL Python module that implements SASL transports for Thrift (`TSaslClientTransport`).

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 11.6M/mo

## What it is and what it does

thrift-sasl wraps Thrift's transport layer to add SASL (Simple Authentication and Security Layer) authentication. It provides TSaslClientTransport, which sits between a raw socket and Thrift's protocol layer, negotiating SASL authentication before RPC traffic flows. The package depends on pure-sasl for SASL mechanism implementation, six for Python 2/3 compatibility, and thrift itself.

The package is designed for applications that need to authenticate Thrift clients against SASL-enabled servers—typically in enterprise or Hadoop-adjacent environments. However, it has been abandoned since 2021-05-26 and receives no maintenance, so it carries risk if you encounter bugs or need support for newer Thrift or Python versions.

Use it for:

- Authenticate Thrift clients against Kerberos-enabled servers in distributed systems
- Secure RPC communication in legacy systems that rely on Thrift and SASL authentication
- Add authentication to Thrift services without implementing custom security layers
- Integrate Thrift clients with enterprise SASL-based authentication backends

## Worth the install?

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

Implements SASL authentication transports for Thrift RPC clients, enabling secure authentication over Thrift connections using the TSaslClientTransport.

No, unless you are maintaining legacy code already using thrift-sasl. The package is abandoned (last release 2021-05-26, no commits since), and modern alternatives or direct Thrift security mechanisms are preferable. If you must use it, treat it as a maintenance burden and plan for eventual replacement.

## Install

pip install thrift-sasl
uv add thrift-sasl
poetry add thrift-sasl

## Installing thrift-sasl

Before you install: Low install friction with pure-Python dependencies. However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2021-05-26 with no recent maintenance. Use only if you are locked into an existing Thrift SASL integration and cannot migrate.

License in practice: Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive), allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions. No notable licensing barriers to adoption.

Quickstart:

pip install thrift-sasl

from thrift_sasl import TSaslClientTransport
from thrift.transport import TSocket

socket = TSocket.TSocket('localhost', 'port')
transport = TSaslClientTransport(socket, 'host', 'mechanism')

Requires a working Thrift installation and a SASL mechanism available on the system; pure-sasl provides fallback SASL support.

Verify before relying:

- Whether pure-sasl provides sufficient SASL mechanism coverage for your target authentication backend
- Compatibility with modern Thrift versions and current Python 3.x releases beyond 3.9
- Whether the package's dependencies (six, thrift) are actively maintained

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 11.6M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

thrift sasl authentication, sasl transport for thrift, thrift client authentication, rpc sasl security, thrift secure transport, sasl client transport, thrift authentication module, abandoned, legacy-rpc, authentication

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/thrift-sasl) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/thrift-sasl/)