{"library":"pywin32-ctypes","title":"pywin32-ctypes","description":"pywin32-ctypes is a Python library that provides a partial, pure-Python reimplementation of the `pywin32` extensions, leveraging `ctypes` and optionally `cffi` for interacting with the Windows API. It aims to offer `pywin32`-like functionality without requiring compilation or specific C compilers. Currently at version 0.2.3, the project maintains an active release cadence, addressing bugs and extending its subset of `pywin32` features.","language":"python","status":"active","last_verified":"Wed May 20","install":{"commands":["pip install pywin32-ctypes"],"cli":null},"imports":["from win32ctypes.pywin32 import win32api","from win32ctypes.pywin32 import win32cred","from win32ctypes.pywin32 import pywintypes"],"auth":{"required":false,"env_vars":[]},"quickstart":{"code":"import sys\nfrom win32ctypes.pywin32 import win32api\n\n# Equivalent to 'import win32api' from pywin32\n\n# Example: Load a library as a data file\ntry:\n    h_module = win32api.LoadLibraryEx(sys.executable, 0, win32api.LOAD_LIBRARY_AS_DATAFILE)\n    print(f\"Successfully loaded {sys.executable} as a data file. Handle: {h_module}\")\n    win32api.FreeLibrary(h_module)\n    print(\"Successfully freed the library.\")\nexcept Exception as e:\n    print(f\"An error occurred: {e}\")","lang":"python","description":"This example demonstrates how to import and use `win32api` to load and free a library, mimicking typical `pywin32` usage for basic API calls.","tag":null,"tag_description":null,"last_tested":"2026-04-24","results":[{"runtime":"python:3.10-alpine","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.10-slim","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.11-alpine","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.11-slim","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.12-alpine","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.12-slim","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.13-alpine","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.13-slim","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.9-alpine","exit_code":1},{"runtime":"python:3.9-slim","exit_code":1}]},"compatibility":{"tag":"stale","tag_description":"widespread failures or data too old to trust","last_tested":"2026-05-20","installed_version":"0.2.3","pypi_latest":"0.2.3","is_stale":false,"summary":{"python_range":"3.10–3.9","success_rate":50,"avg_install_s":1.5,"avg_import_s":null,"wheel_type":"wheel"},"results":[{"runtime":"python:3.10-alpine","python_version":"3.10","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"18.1M"},{"runtime":"python:3.10-alpine","python_version":"3.10","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.10-slim","python_version":"3.10","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":1.4,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"19M"},{"runtime":"python:3.10-slim","python_version":"3.10","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.11-alpine","python_version":"3.11","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"20.0M"},{"runtime":"python:3.11-alpine","python_version":"3.11","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.11-slim","python_version":"3.11","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":1.6,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"21M"},{"runtime":"python:3.11-slim","python_version":"3.11","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.12-alpine","python_version":"3.12","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"11.9M"},{"runtime":"python:3.12-alpine","python_version":"3.12","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.12-slim","python_version":"3.12","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":1.4,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"12M"},{"runtime":"python:3.12-slim","python_version":"3.12","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.13-alpine","python_version":"3.13","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"11.6M"},{"runtime":"python:3.13-alpine","python_version":"3.13","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.13-slim","python_version":"3.13","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":1.4,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"12M"},{"runtime":"python:3.13-slim","python_version":"3.13","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.9-alpine","python_version":"3.9","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"17.6M"},{"runtime":"python:3.9-alpine","python_version":"3.9","os_libc":"alpine (musl)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null},{"runtime":"python:3.9-slim","python_version":"3.9","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":0,"wheel_type":"wheel","failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":"broken","install_time_s":1.8,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":"18M"},{"runtime":"python:3.9-slim","python_version":"3.9","os_libc":"slim (glibc)","variant":"pywin32-ctypes","exit_code":1,"wheel_type":null,"failure_reason":null,"import_side_effects":null,"install_time_s":null,"import_time_s":null,"mem_mb":null,"disk_size":null}]}}