Install & Compatibility
Where this runs
tested against v40.37.0 · pip install
no network on importno background threads
Install × environment matrix
Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux
muslpy 3.10–3.95 runs
installs and imports cleanly · install 0.0s · import 0.272s · 42.9MB
glibcpy 3.10–3.95 runs
installs and imports cleanly · install 3.0s · import 0.254s · 43MB
40MB installed
● package 40MB
Code
Verified usage
Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
Faker
✓ from faker import Faker
✗ from faker.factory import Factory; fake = Factory.create()
The `Factory.create()` method was the old way to instantiate a Faker generator (pre-v2.0.4) and is now superseded by directly importing and instantiating the `Faker` class.
Initialize the Faker generator and access various fake data providers as properties. Each call generates a different random value by default. Locales can be specified for region-specific data.
from faker import Faker
fake = Faker('en_US') # You can specify a locale
print("Fake Name:", fake.name())
print("Fake Address:", fake.address())
print("Fake Email:", fake.email())
print("Fake Text:", fake.text(max_nb_chars=100))
faker --version
Debug
Known issues
breakingFaker dropped support for Python 2 starting from version 4.0.0, and from version 5.0.0, it only supports Python 3.8 and above. For Python 2 compatibility, install version 3.0.1.fixUpgrade Python to 3.10+ or pin Faker to an older, compatible version (e.g., `Faker==3.0.1` for Python 2).
affects: >=4.0.0
breakingCalling the `seed()` method on a `Faker` *instance* (e.g., `fake.seed(0)`) is deprecated and will raise a `TypeError`. Seeding should now be done using the class method `Faker.seed(0)` for consistent results across test runs.fixChange `fake_instance.seed(value)` to `Faker.seed(value)`.
affects: >=2.0.5
gotchaWhile `Faker.seed()` ensures reproducibility for a given Faker version, the generated data is not guaranteed to be consistent across *patch versions* (e.g., between 40.11.0 and 40.11.1) due to potential dataset updates.fixFor strict reproducibility in tests or data generation where results must be identical across environments and time, pin the Faker library to a specific patch version in your `requirements.txt` (e.g., `Faker==40.11.1`).
affects: All versions
gotchaThe Faker package was previously known as `fake-factory` and was deprecated by the end of 2016. Ensure your project and its dependencies do not rely on the old `fake-factory` package to avoid conflicts or outdated behavior.fixMigrate any lingering `fake-factory` dependencies to `faker`.
affects: All versions
gotchaWhen using the `.unique` property on a Faker generator, be aware that if it struggles to find a unique value after a number of attempts (especially with a small pool of possible values), it will raise a `UniquenessException` to prevent infinite loops.fixEnsure the pool of unique values is sufficiently large or handle `UniquenessException` in your code if uniqueness is critical but the pool is limited.
affects: All versions
gotchaThe test output contains pip warnings about running as the 'root' user and a new pip version being available. These are environmental warnings/notices and do not indicate a failure of the Faker library itself.fixAddress pip warnings by using virtual environments or updating pip as suggested in the output, if desired. These are not Faker-specific issues.
affects: N/A (environment related)
Errors
Common errors & fixes
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'faker'
The 'faker' library has not been installed in your Python environment or your interpreter is not pointing to the correct environment where it is installed.
fixInstall the Faker library using pip: `pip install Faker` or `python -m pip install Faker`. If using Anaconda, use `conda install -c conda-forge faker`.
AttributeError: 'Faker' object has no attribute 'some_method_name'
You are trying to call a fake data generation method (e.g., 'zipcode', 'password') that does not exist, is misspelled, or is not supported by the currently selected locale.
fixCheck the Faker documentation for the correct method name and ensure it's available for your chosen locale. For example, if 'zipcode' isn't working for 'pl_PL', it might be called 'postalcode' in that locale, or the provider for that data type is not loaded. If it's a known provider, ensure your Faker instance is created correctly: `from faker import Faker; fake = Faker('en_US'); print(fake.name())`. TypeError: Calling `.seed()` on instances is deprecated. Use the class method `Faker.seed()` instead.
In newer versions of Faker (since v3.0.0), the `seed()` method is intended to be called as a class method on `Faker` itself, not on an instance of `Faker`, to ensure consistent seeding across all generators.
fixChange `fake.seed(0)` to `Faker.seed(0)` before creating any `Faker` instances. For example: `from faker import Faker; Faker.seed(0); fake = Faker(); print(fake.name())`.
ImportError: cannot import name 'Faker' from partially initialized module 'faker'
This error typically occurs when you have named one of your own Python files or modules 'faker.py', which conflicts with the installed 'faker' library, causing Python to try importing from your local file instead of the package.
fixRename your local Python file or module that has the name 'faker.py' to something else (e.g., 'my_faker_script.py') to avoid the naming conflict.
ValueError: No locale found for 'unsupported_locale_code'
You have specified a locale code (e.g., 'unsupported_locale_code') when initializing Faker that is not recognized or supported by the library.
fixUse a supported locale code. Refer to the Faker documentation for a list of available locales (e.g., 'en_US', 'fr_FR', 'it_IT'). For example: `from faker import Faker; fake = Faker('fr_FR'); print(fake.name())`. Upgrade
Version history
40.37.0latest on PyPI · released Aug 21, 2026
Audit
Dependencies
pythonrequiredRequires Python 3.10 or newer.