PySilk (silk-python)

0.2.8 verified Sat May 09 auth: no python

A Python binding for Silk, an audio codec originally developed by Skype. Supports encoding and decoding of Silk audio data (commonly used in Telegram voice messages). Current version 0.2.8; maintained on GitHub with occasional releases.

pip install silk-python

Common errors

error ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'silk' ↓

cause Library not installed or package name confusion.

fix

Run pip install silk-python and import as import silk.

error UnboundLocalError: local variable 'rate' referenced before assignment ↓

cause Missing `rate` argument when calling `encode`.

fix

Provide the sample rate: encode(data, rate=24000).

error 'dict' object has no attribute 'data' ↓

cause Using dot notation on dict returned by `decode`. It is a dict, not an object.

fix

Use pcm['data'] instead of pcm.data.

Warnings

gotcha The `decode` function returns a dict with keys 'data' (numpy array or bytes) and 'sample_rate'. Do not assume it returns raw bytes only. ↓

fix Access pcm['data'] and pcm['sample_rate'].

deprecated In v0.1.x, the API used `silk.decode(data)` returning bytes directly. In v0.2.x, it returns a dict. Code written for v0.1.x will break. ↓

fix Update to use pcm['data'] instead of pcm.

gotcha The `encode` function requires a `rate` parameter (sample rate). Common values: 24000, 16000, 8000. Omitting it may cause errors or wrong output. ↓

fix Always supply `rate` from decoded PCM sample_rate.

Imports

encode
wrong
```
from silk_python import encode
```
correct
```
from silk import encode
```
Module is named 'silk', not 'silk_python'.
decode
wrong
```
import silk; silk.decode()
```
correct
```
from silk import decode
```
Common mistake: decode is a top-level function, not a method of the module.

Quickstart

Basic usage: read a Silk file, decode to PCM, then encode back to Silk.

import os
import asyncio
from silk import encode, decode

# Read binary data (example: from file)
with open('input.silk', 'rb') as f:
    data = f.read()

# Decode Silk to PCM
pcm = decode(data)

# Encode PCM back to Silk
silk_data = encode(pcm['data'], rate=pcm['sample_rate'])
print(f"Decoded {len(pcm['data'])} samples, encoded back to {len(silk_data)} bytes.")