# Difference between python-libevdev and python-evdev

python-evdev is an existing package that provides python access to the evdev protocol. Its documentation is found here: https://python-evdev.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

They both wrap the same kernel protocol, so there is a large overlap between the two projects.

The biggest difference and motivation for python-libevdev was that it wraps libevdev rather than just using the kernel directly. This provides a number of advantages, see Why libevdev? on the index page for details.

From an API perspective, python-libevdev and python-evdev have two slightly different approaches. For example,

- python-evdev opens the device directly and provides multiple ways of reading events from that device (using `asyncore`, `select`, `selectors`, `asyncio`, etc.). python-libevdev requires that the caller opens the file descriptor and monitors it, it merely pulls the events off when requested to do so.

- python-libevdev requires the conversion into EventCode and EventType early on, the rest of the API only deals with those. python-evdev largely sticks to integers instead (e.g. dev.leds() returns an integer array). This makes python-evdev less type-safe than python-libevdev.

There are other differences as well, but, unsurprisingly, we think that python-libevdev is the better API and the safer choice. YMMV :)