What is a good Python module to access data in a MySQL/MariaDB database?

Question

I need to process a bunch of rows from a MySQL database table. I will be using Python as the programming language.

Requirements:

• Python module
  • reading the rows of an existing database/table
  • data is numeric, datetime, str, etc
  • reading the data returns Python objects/datatypes (i.e. int,float,str,etc,etc. not just a string or multiple strings.)
• supports MySQL
• RPM and/or DEB package available
• open-source
• the Python module must be actively developed[1]
• public code repo[2]

Given these requirements, what is a good Python module to access data in MySQL/MariaDB database?

Extra value go towards the following:

• a project that has positive growth[3]
• good example code, documentation, tutorials
• large user base
• supports MariaDB also (future work may transition from MySQL to MariaDB)

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[1] frequent commits (at least one commit per month, preferably one or more commits per week), at least 3 active developers

[2] to allow me to pull down the code via some version control

[3] users/developers/unittests/features/etc of the Python module are growing

Answer 1

Pandas provides a database abstraction layer over SQLAlchemy with a fallback to sqlite.

• Read the rows of an existing DB - Definitely but conceptually when using pandas dataframes you tend to think in columns data can be read from tables or queries.
• Data is not text only - Yes: Pandas dataframes contain real, typed, data objects.
• Support MySQL - Yes via SQLAlchemy
• Actively Developed - Yes for both Pandas and SQLAlchemy
• Public code repository: Pandas is on GitHub while SQLAchemy is on BitBucket

Activity as at 27 May 2017:

Pandas: From the GitHub Pulse: In the last month 169 pull requests by 54 Authors impacting 417 files. SQLAchemy: BitBucket doesn't seem to have a pulse tool that I can see but looking at the logs suggests that it is less active but by no means dead with significant activity in the last few hours by multiple authors.