zipfile36
Read and write ZIP files - backport of the zipfile module from Python 3.6
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No. The package has been abandoned since October 2016 and will receive no maintenance or security updates. Modern Python versions include the improvements natively, and older versions are themselves end-of-life. If you need to support older Python, consider upgrading instead; if you're already on 3.6 or later, use the standard library directly.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Only useful on Python versions older than 3.6; on Python 3.6 and later, the standard library zipfile should be used instead.
- Package is abandoned as of October 2016 with no maintenance since its final release.
- Installation is frictionless (pure Python wheel), but the lack of maintenance means it will not receive security updates or compatibility fixes.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — Licensed under the Python Software Foundation License (permissive), which allows use with minimal restrictions.
last release 2016-10-16 (3589 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,424,961 downloads/mo, #3,918 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install zipfile36
import sys
if sys.version_info >= (3, 6):
import zipfile
else:
import zipfile36 as zipfile- Whether this backport remains compatible with Python versions released after October 2016.
- Whether security issues in the 3.6 zipfile implementation have been discovered and patched in later standard library releases.
- Current viability for production use given the abandoned maintenance status.
What it is and what it does
zipfile36 is a backport of the zipfile module from Python 3.6 to earlier Python versions. It allows developers working on older Python releases to access improvements and bug fixes that were introduced in the 3.6 standard library version, rather than relying on the older built-in zipfile module.
The package is designed as a conditional import: code can check the Python version and use the standard library zipfile on 3.6 and later while falling back to zipfile36 on earlier versions. It has no runtime dependencies and installs as a pure Python wheel, making installation straightforward.
Use it for
- Support older Python codebases that need 3.6-era zipfile improvements without upgrading the Python version.
- Ensure consistent ZIP file handling behavior across a range of Python versions in legacy projects.
- Access bug fixes or enhancements in the 3.6 zipfile that were not present in earlier standard library versions.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No.
The package has been abandoned since October 2016 and will receive no maintenance or security updates. Modern Python versions include the improvements natively, and older versions are themselves end-of-life. If you need to support older Python, consider upgrading instead; if you're already on 3.6 or later, use the standard library directly.
Install
zipfile36 on PyPI
Before you install
Package is abandoned as of October 2016 with no maintenance since its final release. Installation is frictionless (pure Python wheel), but the lack of maintenance means it will not receive security updates or compatibility fixes.
Only useful on Python versions older than 3.6; on Python 3.6 and later, the standard library zipfile should be used instead.
License in practice
Licensed under the Python Software Foundation License (permissive), which allows use with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install zipfile36
import sys
if sys.version_info >= (3, 6):
import zipfile
else:
import zipfile36 as zipfileVerify before relying
- Whether this backport remains compatible with Python versions released after October 2016.
- Whether security issues in the 3.6 zipfile implementation have been discovered and patched in later standard library releases.
- Current viability for production use given the abandoned maintenance status.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 3,589 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,424,961 / month, #3,918 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: Python Software Foundation LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: System :: Archiving :: Compression |
Evidence: zipfile36-0.1.3-py3-none-any.whl
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