unix-ar
AR file handling
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need to read or write AR archives and don't want an external dependency. The package is stable, has no runtime dependencies, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive license. The main caveat is that it is abandoned—no active maintenance—so it is suitable only for stable, well-understood use cases where you are comfortable with no upstream support.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python ~=3.6 (Python 3.6 or later in the 3.x line).
- Low install friction and no runtime dependencies.
- However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2019-06-12, last commit 2022-06-09, and the original author has stated they no longer maintain it.
License · maintenance · safety
BSD (permissive) — BSD license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute the package freely in commercial and private projects, provided you retain the license notice.
last release 2019-06-12 (2620 days) · last repo commit 2022-06-09 · 7 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 859,309 downloads/mo, #4,879 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
import unix_ar
ar_file = unix_ar.open('mypackage.deb')
data_archive = ar_file.open('data.tar.gz/')
ar_file.close()- Whether the package correctly handles all AR format edge cases or only common cases.
- Whether it works reliably with modern .deb files or only older formats.
- Performance characteristics when handling large archives.
What it is and what it does
unix_ar is a pure-Python library for reading and writing AR archive files—the Unix static library format used in .deb packages and other contexts. It provides an ArFile class that mirrors the interface of Python's standard tarfile.TarFile, making it familiar to developers who have worked with tar or zip archives. The package has no runtime dependencies and installs as a simple wheel.
The main use case is extracting contents from .deb files or other AR archives without external tools. Because the package is abandoned (last updated in 2019, creator no longer maintaining), it should be treated as stable but not actively developed. It works with modern Python versions and carries no known security vulnerabilities.
Use it for
- Extract files from Debian .deb packages programmatically without calling external ar or dpkg commands.
- Read AR archive metadata and member files in build or deployment scripts.
- Parse static library archives (.a files) on Unix systems.
- Integrate AR file handling into package management or system tools.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need to read or write AR archives and don't want an external dependency.
The package is stable, has no runtime dependencies, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive license. The main caveat is that it is abandoned—no active maintenance—so it is suitable only for stable, well-understood use cases where you are comfortable with no upstream support.
Install
unix-ar on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction and no runtime dependencies. However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2019-06-12, last commit 2022-06-09, and the original author has stated they no longer maintain it. Use only if the codebase is stable enough for your needs.
Requires Python ~=3.6 (Python 3.6 or later in the 3.x line).
License in practice
BSD license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute the package freely in commercial and private projects, provided you retain the license notice.
Quickstart
import unix_ar
ar_file = unix_ar.open('mypackage.deb')
data_archive = ar_file.open('data.tar.gz/')
ar_file.close()Verify before relying
- Whether the package correctly handles all AR format edge cases or only common cases.
- Whether it works reliably with modern .deb files or only older formats.
- Performance characteristics when handling large archives.
Package facts
| License | BSD permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release ~=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,620 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 859,309 / month, #4,879 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: System :: ArchivingTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: unix_ar-0.2.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also ar · pyunpack · arpy · rpmfile · rarfile · securetar · harfile · backports.tarfile · extractcode · fastar