From e1d54e5f8e63cf8a464a1c4c3d42e4f3a107b83f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nick Coghlan Date: Mon, 26 May 2014 00:50:11 +1000 Subject: [PATCH] Mention setuptools & wheel as key terms for distribution --- Doc/distributing/index.rst | 18 +++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Doc/distributing/index.rst b/Doc/distributing/index.rst index d6710415e28..2f2e6373696 100644 --- a/Doc/distributing/index.rst +++ b/Doc/distributing/index.rst @@ -48,6 +48,18 @@ Key terms standard library, but its name lives on in other ways (such as the name of the mailing list used to coordinate Python packaging standards development). +* ``setuptools`` is a (largely) drop-in replacement for ``distutils`` first + published in 2004. It's most notable addition over the unmodified + ``distutils`` tools was the ability to declare dependencies on other + packages. It is currently recommended as a more regularly updated + alternative to ``distutils`` that offers consistent support for more + recent packaging standards across a wide range of Python versions. +* ``wheel`` (in this context) is a project that adds the ``bdist_wheel`` + command to ``distutils``/``setuptools``. This produces a cross platform + binary packaging format (called "wheels" or "wheel files" and defined in + :pep:`427`) that allows Python libraries, even those including binary + extensions, to be installed on a system without needing to be built + locally. Open source licensing and collaboration @@ -85,12 +97,16 @@ using ``pip``:: pip install setuptools wheel twine +The Python Packaging User Guide includes more details on the `currently +recommended tools`_. + +.. _currently recommended tools: https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/current.html#packaging-tool-recommendations Reading the guide ================= The Python Packaging User Guide covers the various key steps and elements -involved in creating a project +involved in creating a project: * `Project structure`_ * `Building and packaging the project`_