Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

Forbidden Fruit is a developer tool that allows patching of built-in Python objects. Launched in 2013, it enables developers to modify core Python functionality to suit specific project needs. The tool is designed for… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Forbidden Fruit – Patch built-in Python objects launched in 2013; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Homebrew 6.0.0▲1,481

   Today, I’m proud to announce Homebrew 6.0.0. The most significant changes since 5.1.0 are a new tap trust security mechanism, the new faster, smaller, default internal Homebrew JSON API, sandboxing on Linux, better defaults informed by our user survey, many brew bundle improvements, improved performance and initial support for macOS 27 (Golden Gate). Happy to discuss any questions here!

   Jun 2026 · brew.sh · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Reflex▲856

   Build web apps in pure Python

   2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Copy-and-patch compiler for hard real-time Python▲65

   I built Copapy as an experiment: Can Python be used for hard real-time systems? Instead of an interpreter or JIT, Copapy builds a computation graph by tracing Python code and uses a custom copy-and-patch compiler. The result is very fast native code with no GC, no syscalls, and no memory allocations at runtime. The copy-and-patch compiler currently supports x86_64 as well as 32- and 64-bit ARM. It comes as small Python package with no other dependencies - no cross-compiler, nothing except Python. The current focus is on robotics and control systems in general. This project is early but…

   Feb 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   A simple, highly commented, rootkit which attacks GCC and Python▲94

   2014 · github.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Secure MCP Framework by Arcade.dev▲272

   Skip migration and launch MCP with built-in Auth

   Nov 2025 · arcade.dev · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Addict – a Python dict whos values can be get and set using attributes▲80

   The Python Dict that's better than heroin. Contribute to mewwts/addict development by creating an account on GitHub.

   2014 · github.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Prometeo – a Python-to-C transpiler for high-performance computing▲166

   An experimental Python-to-C transpiler and domain specific language for embedded high-performance computing - zanellia/prometeo

   2021 · github.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Refurb – A tool for refurbishing and modernizing Python codebases▲123

   A tool for refurbishing and modernizing Python codebases - dosisod/refurb

   2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Develop your Python applications easily in clean Docker environments▲119

   Develop and run your Python applications in clean Docker environments - macostea/cage

   2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    Wat – Deep inspection of Python objects▲393

    Deep inspection of Python objects. Contribute to igrek51/wat development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Modshim – A new alternative to monkey-patching in Python▲109

    I've invented a new alternative to forking / vendoring / monkey-patching packages in Python. It's a bit like OverlayFS for Python modules - it allows you write modifications for a target module (lower) in a new module (upper), and have these combined in a new virtual module (mount). It works by rewriting imports using AST transformations, then running both the lower and upper module's code in the new Python module. This prevents polluting the global namespace when monkey-patching, and means if you want to make changes to a third-party package, you don't have to take on the…

    2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    A Python with Hindley-Milner-like type annotations, compiling to C▲134

    a python-like language with hindley-milner-like type system, which is compiled to c - alehander92/Airtight

    2015 · github.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Array – A Better Python List▲87

    Like a Python list but better. Contribute to Lauriat/funct development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2021 · github.com · its alternatives →

14. 14SF
    Smart Fruit – A Python schema-based machine learning library▲44

    I've made a small Python library, designed for quick-and-easy prototyping of machine learning models. It's built on top of scikit-learn, to serialize and deserialize data from the forms you're likely to have, to the format used in scikit-learn. https://github.com/madman-bob/Smart-Fruit It's pretty bare-bones at the moment, but I thought I'd see if there was any interest before spending too much time on it. Let me know what you think.

    2018 · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Gelidum – My Python library to freeze objects▲43

    Freeze your objects in python. Contribute to diegojromerolopez/gelidum development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2021 · github.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Adding some syntactic sugar to Python▲77

    A library adding some anti-Pythonic syntatic sugar to Python - czheo/syntax_sugar_python

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

17. 17JA
    Jarvis, a Light Table like companion for Python▲164

    2012 · madlag.github.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Zero-Config Documentation Websites for Python▲233

    2019 · timothycrosley.github.io · its alternatives →

19. 19
    A Ghidra extension for exporting parts of a program as object files▲304

    This Ghidra extension unrelocates machine code through analysis and then synthesizes a working object file from a listing selection. It effectively turns computer programs into Lego bricks, to be torn down into pieces and reused into something new. It supports the COFF and ELF object file formats, for the x86 and MIPS architectures. It has been successfully used on Linux, Windows and PlayStation executables. One user report is on a commercial video game from 2009 with a ~7 MiB Windows executable written in C++: it was delinked without its C runtime library and then relinked into a new…

    2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Patched (YC S24)▲260

    Open-source workflow automation for development teams

    2024 · patched.codes · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Robyn – “Batman Inspired” Python Web Framework Built with Rust▲77

    Robyn is a high-performance async Python web framework powered by a Rust runtime. Build fast, scalable web applications with Python's simplicity and Rust's speed.

    2025 · robyn.tech · its alternatives →

22. 22
    On-disk B+ tree for Python 3▲159

    An on-disk B+tree for Python 3. Contribute to NicolasLM/bplustree development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    A curated list of insecure Python packages▲94

    A curated database of insecure Python packages. Contribute to pyupio/safety-db development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Dropbase – Build internal web apps with just Python▲207

    Hey HN, I’m Jimmy, co-founder of Dropbase (https://www.dropbase.io). We are an internal tools builder for Python developers. All you have to do is import any Python scripts/libraries, declare UI components, and layer app permissions so you can share them with others. We’re a middle ground between Airplane and Retool—simpler UI creation than Airplane, more code-centered than Retool. UI building is declarative and you can bind Python scripts/functions to UI components. You can write Python scripts/functions using our App Studio with support from a Python Language…

    2023 · github.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →