websocket-client
WebSocket client for Python with low level API options
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. websocket-client is a well-maintained, widely-used library (top 1000 PyPI packages) with low install friction, no required dependencies, permissive licensing, and active development. It solves a core need—WebSocket communication in Python—with both simple and advanced APIs. Install it if you need to connect to any WebSocket server; the only gotcha is that RFC 7692 compression is not supported, which rarely matters in practice.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- For automatic reconnection with run_forever, the rel package is recommended but not required.
- Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache-2.0 (permissive) — Apache-2.0 is a permissive license allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making this package suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.
last release 2025-10-07 (311 days) · last repo commit 2026-05-04 · 3,711 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 232,092,465 downloads/mo, #175 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install websocket-client
from websocket import create_connection
ws = create_connection("ws://echo.websocket.events/")
ws.send("Hello, World")
print(ws.recv())
ws.close()- Whether permessage-deflate compression support (RFC 7692) is planned or if this remains a permanent limitation.
- Current state of threading support and whether documented best practices exist beyond the noted minimal documentation.
What it is and what it does
websocket-client is a mature Python library that implements the WebSocket protocol (hybi-13) to enable real-time, bidirectional communication between a Python client and WebSocket servers. It provides both low-level socket APIs for fine-grained control and higher-level abstractions like WebSocketApp for event-driven connection management with automatic reconnection capabilities.
The library is designed for two main usage patterns: short-lived connections for single request-response exchanges, and long-lived connections that maintain persistent communication with automatic reconnection on network failure. It has no required runtime dependencies, installs as a pure Python wheel, and supports current Python versions (3.9+) across all major platforms. Performance can be optionally enhanced by installing wsaccel, which the library will detect and use automatically.
Use it for
- Build real-time chat or notification systems that maintain persistent connections to a WebSocket server.
- Connect to live financial data feeds or cryptocurrency market data streams with automatic reconnection.
- Implement IoT device communication where a Python client needs to receive and send messages over WebSocket.
- Create monitoring dashboards that push live updates to clients via WebSocket connections.
- Test WebSocket server implementations by writing client code that validates protocol compliance.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
websocket-client is a well-maintained, widely-used library (top 1000 PyPI packages) with low install friction, no required dependencies, permissive licensing, and active development. It solves a core need—WebSocket communication in Python—with both simple and advanced APIs. Install it if you need to connect to any WebSocket server; the only gotcha is that RFC 7692 compression is not supported, which rarely matters in practice.
Install
websocket-client on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel distribution. Actively maintained with recent commits and a large user base (top 1000 PyPI packages). Supports Python 3.9+ across macOS, Windows, and POSIX systems.
Requires Python 3.9 or later. For automatic reconnection with run_forever, the rel package is recommended but not required.
License in practice
Apache-2.0 is a permissive license allowing commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making this package suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.
Quickstart
pip install websocket-client
from websocket import create_connection
ws = create_connection("ws://echo.websocket.events/")
ws.send("Hello, World")
print(ws.recv())
ws.close()Verify before relying
- Whether permessage-deflate compression support (RFC 7692) is planned or if this remains a permanent limitation.
- Current state of threading support and whether documented best practices exist beyond the noted minimal documentation.
Package facts
| License | Apache-2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 311 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 232,092,465 / month, #175 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 :: Apache Software LicenseOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIXProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: InternetTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: websocket_client-1.9.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also obs-websocket-py · websockets · pysignalr · zwave-js-server-python · centrifuge-python · gevent-websocket · wsproto · websockets-proxy · ws4py · Pysher