slugify (Legacy Python 2)

0.0.1 · abandoned · verified Thu Apr 16

Slugify (version 0.0.1) is a legacy Python library for generating URL-friendly 'slugs' from strings, primarily for Latin-based scripts. Inspired by Django's `slugify` template filter, it provides a Python function and a command-line tool. The library is considered abandoned and only officially supports Python 2.

Common errors

```
NameError: name 'unicode' is not defined
```
cause The `slugify` library (0.0.1) uses Python 2's `unicode()` built-in function, which was removed in Python 3.

fix Run your code in a Python 2 environment. If you need Python 3 support, use `pip uninstall slugify` and then install a Python 3 compatible alternative, such as `pip install python-slugify`.
```
from slugify import slugify
AttributeError: module 'slugify' has no attribute 'slugify' (or similar unexpected behavior)
```
cause You likely have multiple packages providing a 'slugify' module (e.g., both 'slugify' and 'python-slugify') installed. The Python interpreter might be importing the wrong one due to package naming conflicts.

fix Identify which 'slugify' package you intend to use. If it's `python-slugify`, then `pip uninstall slugify` (the old package) and ensure only `python-slugify` is installed.
```
slugify('你好世界') -> '---' (or similar unhelpful output for non-Latin characters)
```
cause The `slugify` library (0.0.1) lacks proper Unicode transliteration and is designed for Latin-based scripts. It often replaces non-Latin characters with hyphens or removes them.

fix For international character support, switch to `python-slugify`. It offers more comprehensive Unicode handling, often leveraging libraries like `text-unidecode` for accurate transliteration.

Warnings

breaking This `slugify` library (version 0.0.1) is only compatible with Python 2. Attempting to use it in a Python 3 environment will lead to runtime errors, most notably `NameError: name 'unicode' is not defined`.
Fix: Use a Python 2 interpreter or, preferably, switch to a modern, Python 3-compatible slugification library like `python-slugify`.
gotcha There is a significant name collision with the more actively maintained and widely used `python-slugify` library. Both packages attempt to expose the `slugify` function via `from slugify import slugify` which can lead to unpredictable behavior and importing the wrong library if both are installed.
Fix: Always uninstall `slugify` (the 0.0.1 package) if you intend to use `python-slugify`. Ensure you only have one slugification library installed if they share the same top-level import name.
gotcha This library is designed for Latin-based scripts only and offers limited to no support for Unicode characters or internationalization. Non-Latin characters will often be stripped or replaced incorrectly, resulting in unusable slugs.
Fix: For robust Unicode support, use `python-slugify`, which has built-in or optional dependencies for comprehensive transliteration (e.g., `text-unidecode` or `Unidecode`).

Install

pip install slugify Install for Python 2

Imports

slugify
wrong:
```
from python_slugify import slugify
```
correct:
```
from slugify import slugify
```
This specific 'slugify' package imports directly as 'slugify', which conflicts with the more common 'python-slugify' package if both are installed.

Quickstart

A simple example demonstrating the use of the `slugify` function. Note that this library is Python 2 only. Running it in Python 3 will result in errors related to the `unicode()` function.

import sys
# This library is for Python 2. Running in Python 3 will cause a NameError.
# To test, ensure you are in a Python 2 environment.
if sys.version_info.major == 2:
    from slugify import slugify
    text_to_slug = u"Hello World! This is a Test 123"
    slugged_text = slugify(text_to_slug)
    print("Original:", text_to_slug)
    print("Slugged:", slugged_text)
else:
    print("This quickstart requires Python 2. Current Python version is", sys.version)

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