# colour-science/colour

Colour Science for Python

Repository: https://github.com/colour-science/colour
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/colour
Homepage: https://www.colour-science.org
Language: Python
License: BSD-3-Clause
License Family: permissive
Topics: color, color-science, color-space, color-spaces, colorspace, colorspaces, colour, colour-science, colour-space, colour-spaces, colourspace, colourspaces, data, dataset, datasets, python, spectral-data, spectral-dataset, spectral-datasets
Last push: 2026-08-26T14:18:44+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 74/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 28, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4574, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": 270, "gap_med": 210.5, "n_releases_24m": 3}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2642, forks 290 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:06.565864+00:00)

## What it is
Colour is an open-source Python library providing a comprehensive collection of colour science algorithms and datasets, including colour space conversions, chromatic adaptation models, colour appearance models, and spectral computations. It is a NumFOCUS-affiliated project released under the BSD-3-Clause license.

## Use cases
- convert colors between color spaces like sRGB, CIE XYZ, and Lab
- compute CIECAM02 or CAM16 color appearance model values
- perform chromatic adaptation transforms for white balance
- convert spectral power distributions to tristimulus values
- simulate color blindness in images
- generate ACES input device transforms from camera sensitivities
- interpolate and extrapolate spectral data
- compute color difference metrics like Delta E

## When to choose
- you need rigorous, standards-based colorimetry in Python
- you require a wide range of color appearance and adaptation models
- you need built-in spectral datasets like CIE color matching functions
- you want a well-maintained, NumFOCUS-affiliated scientific library

## When to avoid
- you only need simple hex/RGB manipulation for web styling
- you need GPU-accelerated real-time color processing
- you want a GUI color picker or design tool
- you need color management via ICC profiles as a primary feature

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: active
- function: data-science, image-processing, math, sdk
- domain: computer-vision, image-processing, data-science, graphics
- platform: python, cross-platform
- tags: color-science, colorimetry, color-spaces, spectral-data, color-appearance-models, chromatic-adaptation, datasets, algorithms

## Member repositories
- colour-science/colour (main) score 74

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:06.565864+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:19:02.986709+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/colour-science/colour (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:06.565864+00:00, sha 58d516daa4e9)
  - homepage: https://www.colour-science.org (fetched 2026-08-29T10:02:02.192319+00:00, sha 526f1500417a)
  - site_page: https://www.colour-science.org/installation-guide (fetched 2026-08-29T10:02:02.200673+00:00, sha eca349e1a663)
  - site_page: https://www.colour-science.org/features (fetched 2026-08-29T10:02:02.203905+00:00, sha d012c3d8ef1e)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.