wsgiref
WSGI (PEP 333) Reference Library
What it is and what it does
wsgiref is a standalone backport of the WSGI reference library for Python versions before 3.2, when wsgiref was integrated into the Python standard library. It provides validation support for the WSGI 1.0.1 specification (PEP 3333) and includes utility functions like wsgiref.util.test(). The package has no runtime dependencies and is distributed as Python 2.3/2.4 eggs or a zip archive.
This package is now obsolete: Python 3.2 and later versions include wsgiref as a built-in module, and Python 2.3 and 2.4 are long out of support. The package was last released 2006-06-12 and is abandoned, with no active maintenance or repository. It exists only for historical reference or for maintaining extremely legacy systems.
Use it for:
- Validating WSGI application compliance on Python 2.3 or 2.4 (historical only).
- Running the wsgiref.util.test() utility function on legacy Python versions before 3.2.
- Porting or maintaining code that explicitly depends on the standalone wsgiref backport.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Provides WSGI 1.0.1 (PEP 3333) validation support and utilities for Python versions before 3.2, when the library was not yet built into the standard library.
No. This package is abandoned (last release 2006-06-12) and obsolete: Python 3.2+ includes wsgiref in the standard library, and Python 2.3/2.4 are no longer supported. Modern projects should use the built-in wsgiref module. Install only if maintaining legacy code on unsupported Python versions.
Install
wsgiref on PyPI
pip
pip install wsgirefuv
uv add wsgirefpoetry
poetry add wsgirefInstalling wsgiref
Before you install
High install friction: the package is abandoned (last release 2006-06-12) and distributed only as Python 2.3/2.4 eggs and zip archives. Modern Python versions include wsgiref in the standard library, making this package obsolete for current development.
License in practice
Licensed under PSF or ZPL (permissive), so there are no licensing restrictions on use or redistribution, but the permissive terms are largely academic given the package's obsolescence.
Quickstart
# For Python < 3.2 only:
import wsgiref.util
test_result = wsgiref.util.test()
This package is only relevant for Python 2.3 or 2.4. Modern Python versions include wsgiref in the standard library; installing this package is not necessary and not recommended for current projects.
Verify before relying
- Whether this package works at all on any currently-maintained Python version.
- Whether the documented URLs (peak.telecommunity.com) for HTML and PDF documentation are still accessible.
- Whether Python 2.3 and 2.4 are still supported by any active systems.
Package facts
| License | PSF or ZPL (permissive) |
| Python support | not specified |
| Install friction | high — source build required |
| Runtime dependencies | none |
| Maintenance | abandoned — 7,368 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 154,260/month — #10,858 on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-14) |
| Known vulnerabilities | none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14) |
Evidence: wsgiref-0.1.2-py2.3.egg; wsgiref-0.1.2-py2.4.egg; wsgiref-0.1.2.zip
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