PyScript has not been shut down. In August 2026 its maintainers moved the PyScript and Polyscript repositories into maintenance mode, which freezes the existing API, stops accepting new issues and pull requests, and slows Pyodide updates to a lower cadence when they are needed. The project stays on its CDN, and the maintainers say anyone can fork it. For most existing projects, the practical change is that PyScript will keep working but will not grow. For new browser projects, the more durable choice is usually to use Pyodide directly, the CPython-to-WebAssembly runtime that PyScript builds on.
What the August 2026 announcement changes
The maintenance announcement, authored on GitHub under the name WebReflection, is the primary statement of the change. The source does not establish a formal job title for the author, so it is best cited as the PyScript maintenance announcement rather than attributed to a specific role. The core sentence reads: “We are switching the PyScript and Polyscript repositories into maintenance mode.”
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In practical terms, the announcement makes four commitments and limits:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Availability continues. PyScript remains distributed through its CDN, and the maintainers say they still use it internally.
- The API is frozen. No API changes are planned for now, and the announcement says there is no time allocated for nonessential feature work.
- Pyodide updates slow down. The team will keep updating Pyodide at a lower frequency when needed, rather than on a regular schedule.
- Forking is explicitly allowed. Teams that need changes can maintain their own variant, which also means they own the upgrade and bug-fix work.
The announcement also describes adoption, contributions, and sustainability in qualitative terms. It does not give a figure with an organization and year, so this article does not quote any usage numbers for PyScript.
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Which PyScript release is current
Three version labels are in circulation, and they come from different release channels. Do not assume that one implies the other.
| Channel | Version | Date or context | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| PyScript releases on GitHub | 2026.7.3 | Dated July 29, 2026 in the repository release history | The latest PyScript release reviewed for this article |
| PyScript release notes | Pyodide 314.0.3 | Listed in the 2026.7.3 release notes | The Pyodide build referenced by that PyScript release |
| Standalone Pyodide documentation | 314.0.7 | Version shown in the documentation accessed for this article; release date not stated there | The current standalone Pyodide docs; not necessarily what a given PyScript bundle ships |
If your application pins a PyScript version, the Pyodide version it runs is the one bundled with that PyScript release, not the newest standalone Pyodide. Check the release notes for the exact PyScript version you deploy. Release notes and the repository history are on the PyScript releases page.
Which runtimes remain inside PyScript
PyScript’s documented runtime scope is now Pyodide and MicroPython. The 2026.6.1 release notes say other runtimes were mostly removed because of limited interest, so earlier runtime options should not be treated as supported. The announcement adds that Polyscript will not guarantee stability around the other runtimes it once accommodated.
That leaves two practical choices inside PyScript:
- Pyodide for a full CPython environment in the browser, with a package ecosystem and a JavaScript interface.
- MicroPython for a smaller interpreter where a full CPython runtime is unnecessary. The sources reviewed for this article do not compare its footprint, startup time, or library coverage with Pyodide, so check those on your own target.
Using Pyodide without the PyScript layer
Pyodide can be used on its own, and this is the most direct way to keep running Python in the browser after PyScript stops growing. Its official documentation describes a CPython port to WebAssembly, package installation, a JavaScript–Python interface, access to browser Web APIs, CDN deployment, and self-hosting from a release. The quickstart shows the basic pattern: load the Pyodide script from a CDN or your own release, then call loadPyodide().
What Pyodide gives you that PyScript wraps
- A CPython runtime compiled to WebAssembly, so code runs in the browser rather than on a server.
- Package installation for pure-Python wheels and a selected set of packages with native extensions, including scientific libraries. Support is not universal, so verify each dependency against the package information for the Pyodide version you use.
- Two-way JavaScript access through the Pyodide API, which you call directly instead of through PyScript’s HTML-facing tags.
A minimal starting point
Once the Pyodide script is loaded from the CDN or your self-hosted release, the quickstart pattern looks like this:
let pyodide = await loadPyodide();
console.log(pyodide.runPython("sum(range(10))"));The Python code runs inside the page, and the result returns to JavaScript. Everything you would normally express in PyScript’s HTML attributes becomes JavaScript you write and maintain yourself.
Deployment and trade-offs
- CDN deployment is the quickest route, but your application depends on the CDN’s availability and on the Pyodide version it serves.
- Self-hosting lets you pin a version and control upgrades, at the cost of owning the files and their updates.
- Integration work is higher than with PyScript, because you manage loading, errors, and the JavaScript–Python boundary yourself.
Skulpt as an alternative
Skulpt is a separate browser-based Python implementation, not a drop-in replacement for PyScript or Pyodide. Its homepage describes an entirely browser-side implementation. The same page describes a Python 3.7.3 grammar and states that substantial implementation work remains, so treat its compatibility details as a caution rather than a current guarantee. Before you choose Skulpt for a production project, confirm the Python features you need, the state of its maintenance, and its package support against its own documentation, which the sources reviewed for this article do not describe in detail. Its homepage is at skulpt.org.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsComparing the options
| Question | PyScript (Pyodide runtime) | Pyodide used directly | Skulpt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime | Pyodide, a CPython-to-WebAssembly build | CPython-to-WebAssembly distribution | Separate in-browser implementation |
| Python version | Set by the Pyodide build in the PyScript release you deploy | Set by the standalone Pyodide version you load | Homepage describes a Python 3.7.3 grammar; current version not stated |
| Packages | Pyodide package support applies; verify each dependency | Pure-Python wheels and selected native-extension packages; verify each dependency | Not stated in the reviewed sources |
| Integration effort | Lower; HTML-facing framework and pyscript namespace |
Higher; you use the JavaScript API directly | Not stated in the reviewed sources |
| Maintenance outlook | Frozen API; slower Pyodide updates; forks are your responsibility | Governed by the Pyodide project’s own release cadence | Homepage says substantial implementation work remains; current maintenance not stated |
The reviewed sources do not include a controlled benchmark comparing startup time, runtime speed, or download size across these options. Do not rank them on performance without testing your own application.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing a path for your project
- You have a working PyScript app and no new requirements: keep it running, pin the PyScript version you tested, and monitor the release page for changes that affect your Pyodide version.
- You need new features, new packages, or fixes: plan to move toward Pyodide directly, or fork PyScript and budget for maintaining that fork.
- You want a lightweight interpreter and do not need a full CPython environment: evaluate MicroPython inside PyScript against your own target browsers.
- You are considering Skulpt: verify the Python features and packages you need first, because its homepage gives a compatibility caution and its current status is not established by the sources reviewed here.
Checks before you commit
- Confirm the PyScript version you will deploy and the Pyodide version bundled with it on the releases page.
- List every package your application imports and check each one against the Pyodide package information for that version.
- Test on the browsers your users actually run, and measure download size and startup on a slow connection.
- Decide who owns upgrades, security fixes, and bug fixes. Under maintenance mode, that owner is your team unless you rely on the Pyodide project’s own updates.
- If you depend on JavaScript interop, prototype the boundary with Pyodide’s API before you rewrite anything.
The PyScript maintenance announcement and the Pyodide overview are the best starting points for current status. Community questions such as whatever happened to Python in the browser show that the topic is still being asked about, but they are not evidence of how many projects use each option.
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