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Open Diffix

open-diffix.org

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Spec score 7.2 #17 of 26 in Data Masking Software

What it is

Open Diffix is a free, open-source project for anonymizing structured data, available through APIs and self-hosted deployments on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its SynDiffix Python package generates statistically accurate synthetic data with strong anonymity. It is aimed especially at descriptive analysis, including histograms, heatmaps, column correlations, counts, averages, and standard deviations. You can generate a separate synthetic table for each analytic task and distribute a blob from which others create tables after installing SynDiffix. The project says this approach can preserve anonymity across many column combinations, but blobs currently do not scale well beyond about 10 columns. SynDiffix installs with pip and requires Python 3.10 or later. It can also support machine learning, though the maker says ML use is somewhat less easy. For data containing multiple rows per protected entity, provide the entity identifier separately or anonymity may be compromised. Open Diffix also includes pg_diffix, a PostgreSQL extension for aggregate anonymized answers to a very limited SQL subset; development is paused.

Spec sheet

Support
The maker invites questions and requests for help or advice by email and bug reports or feature requests through GitHub issues.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Analytics
SynDiffix is especially suited to descriptive analytics, including histograms, heatmaps, column correlations, counts, averages, and standard deviations.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Blob limit
The maker’s repository says SynDiffix blobs currently do not scale well beyond about 10 columns.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Distribution
SynDiffix supports creating a distributable blob from which users can generate synthetic tables, and the maker says users need to install SynDiffix to use a blob.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Install
The SynDiffix repository says to install the package with pip and requires Python 3.10 or later.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Machine learning
SynDiffix can be used for machine learning, though the maker says it is somewhat less easy to use for ML applications.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Origins
The underlying technology for Open Diffix tools was developed by the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in partnership with the former Aircloak GmbH.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
pg_diffix
pg_diffix is a PostgreSQL extension that returns aggregate anonymized answers for a limited subset of SQL queries, and its development is currently paused.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
pg_diffix compatibility
The pg_diffix repository says PostgreSQL version 13 or higher is required and documents installation on Linux and Windows.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
pg_diffix limitations
The Open Diffix site says pg_diffix only returns aggregate answers consisting of column values and associated counts for a very limited subset of SQL, and is less flexible than SynDiffix.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
pg_diffix requirements
The pg_diffix repository requires PostgreSQL 13 or higher and documents installation for Linux and Windows.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
pg_diffix support
The maker says pg_diffix development is currently paused and invites interested project teams to contact them.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
PostgreSQL extension
pg_diffix is a PostgreSQL extension that returns aggregate anonymized answers to a very limited subset of SQL queries.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Project
Open Diffix is an open-source project developing tools for anonymizing structured data.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Protected entities
For data with multiple rows per protected entity, the entity identifier must be supplied separately or anonymity may be compromised.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Runtime requirement
SynDiffix installs with pip and requires Python 3.10 or later.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
SynDiffix
SynDiffix is a Python package for generating statistically accurate and strongly anonymous synthetic data from structured data.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Tailored datasets
SynDiffix is designed to generate a separate synthetic dataset tailored to each use case, and the site says it can support thousands of column combinations while preserving anonymity.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org
Usage
SynDiffix can create separate synthetic tables tailored to individual analytic tasks while maintaining strong anonymity across many column combinations.Read 8 Oct 2026 · open-diffix.org

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open source
  • Synthetic data for descriptive analytics
  • Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows
  • Separate datasets for analytic tasks
  • API and self-hosted deployment

Limits

  • Blobs scale poorly beyond about 10 columns
  • Python 3.10 or later required
  • pg_diffix development is paused
  • Entity identifiers require separate handling

Who it suits

It suits teams needing synthetic structured data for descriptive analytics and self-hosted or API deployments. Machine-learning users can use it, with the stated usability limitation.

Verdict

Open Diffix focuses on anonymized synthetic data, with SynDiffix covering common descriptive analyses and tailored datasets. Its documented column-scaling, runtime, and entity-handling limits matter when planning deployments.

Where Specifiction places it

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