rPickle

A safe and efficient Python serialization library.

Features

• 🔒 Safety - No arbitrary code execution, unlike pickle
• 📦 Compact - Small serialized size
• 🔄 Circular references - Handles self-referential structures
• 🧩 Extensibility - Custom type support via extensions
• 🤝 Compatibility - Written in pure Python, works on all platforms
• ♾️ No recursion limit - Can serialize deeply nested structures
• 0️⃣ Zero dependencies - No external libraries required

🔒 Safety

rPickle is safe in the sense that it does not execute arbitrary code during deserialization.

Unlike pickle (which can call arbitrary functions during loads()), rPickle only reconstructs data structures.
It does not use __reduce__(), no implicit imports, and no function calls.

✅ rPickle.loads(data) does not execute any code — it only restores data.
❌ pickle.loads(data) may execute arbitrary code defined in __reduce__.

However, safety is not absolute:

• If you use custom extensions (Extension), you are responsible for the code you provide — the library author is not liable.
• rPickle does not encrypt data or prevent tampering. If you need integrity or confidentiality, take additional measures.
• rPickle is not a sandbox. If you load untrusted data with malicious extensions, it can execute arbitrary code.

It is recommended to only load data from trusted sources and review any custom extensions before use.

Requirements

• Python 3.11+ (all features)
• Python 3.15+ (all features including frozendict and sentinel)

Installation

pip install rPickle

Why rPickle?

Pickle can't handle truly large integers. rPickle can:

>>> import pickle
>>> import rPickle
>>> big_integer = 1 << (1 << 34)
>>> big_integer == pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(big_integer))
Traceback (most recent call last):
  ...
OverflowError: int too large to pickle
>>> big_integer == rPickle.loads(rPickle.dumps(big_integer))
True

In Python 3.15, sentinel will be added. But pickle cannot handle this case. rPickle can handle it correctly:

>>> import pickle
>>> import rPickle
>>> MISSING = sentinel('MISSING')
>>> S = sentinel('s')

>>> # Pickle: works for one, fails for the other
>>> MISSING is pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(MISSING))
True
>>> S is pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(S))
Traceback (most recent call last):
  ...
_pickle.PicklingError: Can't pickle s: it's not found as __main__.s

>>> # rPickle: works consistently
>>> MISSING is rPickle.loads(rPickle.dumps(MISSING))
True
>>> S is rPickle.loads(rPickle.dumps(S))
True

Quick Start

import rPickle

# Serialize
data = {'name': 'Alice', 'scores': [95, 87, 92]}
packed = rPickle.dumps(data)

# Deserialize
restored = rPickle.loads(packed)
print(restored)  # {'name': 'Alice', 'scores': [95, 87, 92]}

API

Core Function

Extensions

You can use built-in extensions to support additional types like datetime, Decimal, UUID, etc.

For example, to serialize a dictionary containing a datetime.datetime object:

from datetime import datetime

data = {'created': datetime.now()}
packed = rPickle.dumps(data, extensions=rPickle.ext.datetime_ext)
restored = rPickle.loads(packed, extensions=rPickle.ext.datetime_ext)

# Using more extensions at the same time
exts = rPickle.ext.datetime_ext | rPickle.ext.Path_ext | rPickle.ext.Decimal_ext
packed = rPickle.dumps(data, extensions=exts)

Custom Extensions

Add support for your own types using the extensions parameter. For example, to support datetime.datetime:

import rPickle
from datetime import datetime

# 1. Define dump function (type → bytes)
def dump_datetime(dt: datetime) -> bytes:
    return dt.timestamp().to_bytes(8, 'little')

# 2. Define load function (bytes → type)
def load_datetime(data: bytes) -> datetime:
    timestamp = int.from_bytes(data, 'little')
    return datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp)

# 3. Register your extension
my_extensions = rPickle.ext.Extension(typ=datetime, load_func=load_datetime, dump_func=dump_datetime)

# 4. Use it
data = {'created': datetime.now()}
packed = rPickle.dumps(data, extensions=my_extensions)
restored = rPickle.loads(packed, extensions=my_extensions)

You can also combine your extension with built-in ones or custom ones using |=. For example, to combine your datetime.datetime extension with the built-in one:

import rPickle
from datetime import datetime

def dump_datetime(dt: datetime) -> bytes:
    return dt.timestamp().to_bytes(8, 'little')

def load_datetime(data: bytes) -> datetime:
    timestamp = int.from_bytes(data, 'little')
    return datetime.fromtimestamp(timestamp)

my_extensions = rPickle.ext.Extension(typ=datetime, load_func=load_datetime, dump_func=dump_datetime)

# Add a built-in extension or others
my_extensions |= rPickle.ext.datetime_ext

packed = rPickle.dumps(data, extensions=my_extensions)
restored = rPickle.loads(packed, extensions=my_extensions)

⚠️Note: For safety, avoid using eval(), exec(), or __import__() in your custom extensions.

Overriding Built-in Types With Custom Extensions

You can override built-in types with your own extensions. For example, if you want to change how list is serialized:

import rPickle
from rPickle.ext import Extension

def dump_list_plus(lst: list) -> bytes:
    return bytes(lst)

def load_list_plus(data: bytes) -> list:
    return list(data)

list_plus = Extension(typ=list, load_func=load_list_plus, dump_func=dump_list_plus)

data = [1, 2, 5, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 7, 5, 9, 5]
packed = rPickle.dumps(data, extensions=list_plus)
restored = rPickle.loads(packed, extensions=list_plus)

⚠️ Important note when overriding types

When you override a built-in type, keep in mind that your custom serializer may not handle all possible values. For example, if you override list to serialize as a compact bytearray, a single value outside the expected range will break the serialization.

To avoid this, consider implementing a fallback in your serializer:

import rPickle

def dump_list_safe(lst: list) -> bytes:
    try:
        return b'\x00' + bytes(lst)
    except (OverflowError, TypeError):
        return rPickle.dumps(lst)  # fallback to default

def load_list_safe(code: bytes) -> list:
    if code.startswith(rPickle.core._MAGIC):
        return rPickle.loads(code)
    else:
        return list(code[1:])

This way, your custom logic applies when possible — and gracefully falls back when it doesn't.

⚠️Note: For safety, avoid using eval(), exec(), or __import__() in your enhancement extensions

Supported Types

• None, bool, int, float, complex, str
• bytes, bytearray
• list, tuple, set, frozenset
• dict, frozendict (Python 3.15+)
• range, slice
• Ellipsis, NotImplemented
• sentinel (Python 3.15+)
• Custom types

Sentinel Support

Python 3.15 introduced sentinel for creating unique marker objects. rPickle supports sentinel natively with identity preservation:

import rPickle

MISSING = sentinel('MISSING')
packed = rPickle.dumps(MISSING)
restored = rPickle.loads(packed)

assert restored is MISSING  # True

That makes rPickle more correct.

Built-in Extensions

rPickle comes with ready-to-use extensions for common types: see the list below.

Links

• PyPI
• GitHub

License

MIT License.