pyjokes in Python: get_joke(), get

Quick Answer

Install pyjokes in the environment that runs your script, import it, and call pyjokes.get_joke() for one result or pyjokes.get_jokes() for a list. Validate language and category values before exposing the output to users.

Illustration of a Python package producing one joke or a list of joke outputs — pyjokes provides small get_joke and get_jokes examples for scripts and demos.

pyjokes is a small Python package that returns one-line programmer jokes. It is useful for toy projects, command-line demos, chat bots, Discord bots, learning scripts, and quick examples where you want visible output without building a full dataset.

The current PyPI release checked for this update is pyjokes 0.8.3. It requires Python 3.9 or newer and exposes two main functions: get_joke() for one joke and get_jokes() for a list of jokes.

Install pyjokes

Install the package with pip inside your project environment. If you use a virtual environment, activate it first so the package is installed for the project you are running.

python -m pip install pyjokes

If Python cannot import the package after installation, check which interpreter is running the script and where pip installed the package. Our guides on Python virtualenv location and removing Python virtual environments can help when environments are mixed up.

Get one joke with get_joke()

Use pyjokes.get_joke() when your program needs one random joke as a string. The default language is English and the default category is neutral.

import pyjokes

joke = pyjokes.get_joke(language="en", category="neutral")
print(type(joke))
print(len(joke) > 0)

<class 'str'>
True

This example checks the return type instead of depending on a specific joke, because the actual joke can vary from run to run.

Python Pool infographic showing pyjokes language, category, joke types, and generated text — Joke categories: Pyjokes language, category, joke types, and generated text.

Get many jokes with get_jokes()

Use get_jokes() when you need a list. This is better for menus, random selection in your own logic, test fixtures, or showing several options to a user.

import pyjokes

jokes = pyjokes.get_jokes(language="en", category="all")
print(type(jokes))
print(len(jokes))
print(isinstance(jokes[0], str))

get_jokes() returns a normal Python list, so you can slice it, loop over it, or use random.choice() if you want to control selection yourself.

Languages and categories

In the current package signature, supported language codes include cs, de, en, es, eu, fr, gl, hu, it, lt, pl, ru, and sv. Supported categories are neutral, chuck, and all.

Older examples may mention an extra German-only category. That category is not in the current get_joke() or get_jokes() function signature tested for this update, so do not rely on it in new code.

Handle invalid languages or categories

If you accept user input for language or category, validate it before calling pyjokes. Invalid values raise an exception, so a small wrapper makes your program easier to control.

import pyjokes

VALID_LANGUAGES = {"en", "es", "de", "fr", "it"}
VALID_CATEGORIES = {"neutral", "chuck", "all"}


def safe_joke(language="en", category="neutral"):
    if language not in VALID_LANGUAGES:
        language = "en"
    if category not in VALID_CATEGORIES:
        category = "neutral"
    return pyjokes.get_joke(language=language, category=category)


print(bool(safe_joke("en", "neutral")))

This pattern is useful for chat commands, web forms, and command-line arguments where users can type unsupported values.

Python Pool infographic mapping a get_joke call to one generated joke string — get_joke: A get_joke call to one generated joke string.

Use pyjokes in a command-line script

A simple command-line script can print one joke and exit. Keep the script small and avoid calling the package repeatedly in tight loops unless your project really needs many jokes at once.

import pyjokes


def main():
    print(pyjokes.get_joke(language="en", category="neutral"))


if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

You can combine this with user input, clipboard helpers, or colored terminal output. Related examples on this site include reading input from stdin, using Pyperclip, and formatting terminal text with Colorama.

When should you use pyjokes?

Use pyjokes for demos, beginner projects, bot responses, and examples where playful text is acceptable. Do not use it where output must be professional, localized with strict quality control, or reviewed for every audience. If your project has user-facing content standards, treat jokes as optional and allow them to be disabled.

Python Pool infographic comparing get_jokes count, list output, loops, and presentation — get_jokes: Get_jokes count, list output, loops, and presentation.

Test pyjokes without hard-coding joke text

Because get_joke() can return different text, tests should check the shape of the result instead of one exact joke. Confirm that the value is a non-empty string, and test your own wrapper separately from the package’s joke database.

import pyjokes


def get_display_joke(language="en", category="neutral"):
    joke = pyjokes.get_joke(language=language, category=category)
    assert isinstance(joke, str)
    return joke.strip()


assert get_display_joke()

Common pyjokes errors

If you see ModuleNotFoundError, install the package in the same environment that runs the script. If you see an exception for a language or category, check the current supported values and avoid old examples that use removed categories. If your bot or web app displays jokes to users, keep a fallback message so the feature fails gracefully instead of breaking the whole command.

Keep user-facing projects appropriate

Programmer jokes are fine for demos, but they are still user-facing text. For classrooms, public bots, company dashboards, or client projects, review whether the tone fits the audience. A small feature flag or configuration value lets you turn jokes off without removing the code path entirely.

Python Pool infographic testing language support, dependencies, repeatability, encoding, and validation — Joke checks: Language support, dependencies, repeatability, encoding, and validation.

Use pyjokes as a dependency carefully

Pin dependencies when reproducibility matters, especially in tutorials, CI jobs, or deployed bots. A package update can change supported languages, categories, or joke content. If your project depends on stable output, record the tested package version and run a small smoke test after upgrades.

Related Python guides

Fix no module named errors
Python Decouple module
Python input() vs raw_input()
Python Pyperclip module
Python Colorama module

Official references

Keep Package Output Separate from Application Logic

A small helper keeps the package call easy to test and lets your application decide how to display or filter the result.

import pyjokes

def get_safe_joke(language="en", category="neutral"):
    try:
        return pyjokes.get_joke(language=language, category=category)
    except Exception:
        return "No joke available for this selection."

print(get_safe_joke())

Check the installed package documentation for supported language and category values rather than assuming every combination is available in every release.