typecode
Comprehensive filetype and mimetype detection using libmagic and Pygments.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Active maintenance, production-stable status, low install friction, no known vulnerabilities, and permissive licensing make it a solid choice. Install with [full] for immediate use, or [minimal] if your environment already provides libmagic 5.39. Best suited for projects needing reliable file type detection beyond filename inspection.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires libmagic 5.39 available either via the [full] extra, system PATH, environment variables (TYPECODE_LIBMAGIC_PATH, TYPECODE_LIBMAGIC_DB_PATH), or a typecode-libmagic plugin.
- Low install friction with a pure Python wheel.
- Actively maintained with recent commits and production-stable status.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache-2.0 (permissive) — Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for most projects.
last release 2026-03-23 (144 days) · last repo commit 2026-04-24 · 10 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 127,394 downloads/mo, #11,745 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install typecode
from typecode import identify
result = identify.identify_file('path/to/file')- Whether the package's API surface and typical workflows are well-documented beyond the README.
- Performance characteristics when processing large batches of files or unusual formats.
- Specific accuracy or edge-case behavior compared to direct libmagic or Pygments use.
What it is and what it does
TypeCode is a file type and MIME type detection library that wraps libmagic and Pygments to identify file formats. It started as a library within scancode-toolkit and provides a unified interface for comprehensive filetype detection across Linux, Windows, and macOS.
The package supports multiple installation modes: the [full] extra bundles libmagic binaries for immediate use, while the minimal install expects libmagic to be provided by the system, environment variables, or a plugin. It integrates with the plugincode system to allow custom libmagic providers, making it flexible for environments with non-standard library locations.
Use it for
- Identify file types in batch processing pipelines without relying on file extensions.
- Determine MIME types for web servers or content management systems handling user uploads.
- Integrate file type detection into security scanning or compliance tools.
- Classify documents by format in archival or document management workflows.
- Detect and handle PDF and other structured formats via pdfminer.six integration.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Active maintenance, production-stable status, low install friction, no known vulnerabilities, and permissive licensing make it a solid choice. Install with [full] for immediate use, or [minimal] if your environment already provides libmagic 5.39. Best suited for projects needing reliable file type detection beyond filename inspection.
Install
typecode on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure Python wheel. Actively maintained with recent commits and production-stable status. Five runtime dependencies including attrs, binaryornot, commoncode, pdfminer.six, and plugincode.
Requires libmagic 5.39 available either via the [full] extra, system PATH, environment variables (TYPECODE_LIBMAGIC_PATH, TYPECODE_LIBMAGIC_DB_PATH), or a typecode-libmagic plugin.
License in practice
Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for most projects.
Quickstart
pip install typecode
from typecode import identify
result = identify.identify_file('path/to/file')Verify before relying
- Whether the package's API surface and typical workflows are well-documented beyond the README.
- Performance characteristics when processing large batches of files or unusual formats.
- Specific accuracy or edge-case behavior compared to direct libmagic or Pygments use.
Package facts
| License | Apache-2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 5 packagesattrsbinaryornotcommoncodepdfminer.sixplugincode |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 144 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 127,394 / month, #11,745 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 :: DevelopersProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: typecode-30.2.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also typecode-libmagic · filetype · libmagic · polyfile-weave · python-magic · file-magic · python-magic-bin · extractcode-libarchive · mediatype · scancode-toolkit