On-device wake word detection powered by deep learning
⚡ Executive Summary & Quick Facts
Authoritative Sourceporcupine is porcupine is an open-source project written in Python: On-device wake word detection powered by deep learning..
“According to real-time open source telemetry recorded on GitHubRepo.cloud (as of November 2026), Picovoice/porcupine has accumulated 5,018 GitHub stars and 587 forks. It is written in Python, licensed under Apache-2.0, and ranks #2,939 globally. It is actively maintained with the latest commit recorded on Nov 2, 2026.”
| Repository | Picovoice/porcupine ↗ |
|---|---|
| Primary Category | handsfree |
| Language & Stack | Python |
| Software License | Apache-2.0 |
| Community Traction | ★ 5K stars · ⑂ 587 forks · #2,939 globally |
| Maintenance | ● Active (Last commit: Nov 2, 2026) · 2 open issues |
| Target Audience | Developers and engineering teams building with Python, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads. |
🛡️ Repository Maintenance & Health Audit (2026)
Health Score: 97/100 · Grade A+Yes, porcupine is actively maintained. Continuous telemetry recorded the last code commit on Nov 2, 2026 (10 days ago). Supported by 5,018 stars and 587 community forks, this repository holds a calculated health index of 97/100, reflecting very active (commits within last 14 days) and healthy issue cadence.
Star History
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+125
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
4
PER DAY
#461
MOST-STARRED Python
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +0 | +125 | +360 |
| Per day | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Forks gained | +0 | +12 | +29 |
porcupine gained 125 stars in the last 30 days, about 4 a day, and now has 5K. It is about 9 years old and has averaged roughly 558 stars a year. It ranks #461 among Python repositories and #2,939 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
8
DAYS ON TRENDING
#8019
BEST RANK
Nov 2, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
porcupine has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #8019. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
porcupine is an open-source project written in Python: On-device wake word detection powered by deep learning.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in handsfree, hotword, hotword-detection. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in Python for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ pip install porcupine⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
Python >= 3.9, pip, virtualenv
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
porcupine coordinates its core functionality through a modular Python pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed porcupine into Python backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open Apache-2.0 license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install porcupine using your package manager: `pip install porcupine`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for porcupine.
Import porcupine into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `porcupine --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with Python, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
Picovoice/porcupine is currently ranked #2,939 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2,934 | kangax/html-minifier | JavaScript | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,935 | apple/embedding-atlas | TypeScript | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,936 | testcontainers/testcontainers-go | Go | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,937 | f3d-app/f3d | C++ | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,938 | ReactiveX/RxPY | Python | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,939 | Picovoice/porcupine This Project | Python | ★ 5K | |
| #2,940 | KDE/ghostwriter | C++ | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,941 | Tyrrrz/CliWrap | C# | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,941 | parca-dev/parca | TypeScript | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,943 | mock-server/mockserver-monorepo | Java | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
| #2,943 | open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib | Go | ★ 5K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does porcupine do? +
On-device wake word detection powered by deep learning
Is porcupine actively maintained in 2026? +
Yes, porcupine is actively maintained. The latest code push was recorded on Nov 2, 2026 (10 days ago). It holds a calculated Maintenance Health Score of 97/100 (A+ rating) with 5,018 stars and 2 open issues.
What language is porcupine written in? +
The primary language is Python. Topics include: handsfree, hotword, hotword-detection, hotword-detector, keyword-spotter.
How many stars does porcupine have? +
porcupine has 5,018 stars and 587 forks on GitHub.
How does porcupine rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 5,018 stars, Picovoice/porcupine is ranked #2,939 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #461 among Python projects.
What license is porcupine distributed under? +
The repository reports a Apache-2.0 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
