Python packaging discussion

The way packaging in Python works is currently undergoing big changes. This page tries to summarise the discussion, proposals and ideas that might be incorporated into the PEPs listed below.

If you have an idea, or a use case that is not (sufficiently) supported right now, we would like to know about it and encourage you to add it to the Ideas & Use cases section of this page. See also the older proposals.

PEPS

List of packaging related PEPs that are under consideration:

Proposals

Accepted

Under consideration

Ideas & Use cases

Data file installation paths

It is not possible to retrieve the installation paths of data, or other, files for all installation schemes supported by distutils right now. I propose the inclusion of a PREFIX file within the .egg-info directory that holds information on all prefixes set at installation time and a suitable API within pkgutil.

Discussion: Distutils/DiscussionOverview/FilePrefixes

Status: Under Consideration

Affected PEPs: 376

Data file prefix classes/placeholders

Data files shipped within a distribution are not further classified. This makes it impossible to define default installation paths for certain file types that are typically shipped with a distribution like configuration files, examples, shared data files, ...

Discussion: Distutils/DiscussionOverview/PrefixClasses

Status: Under Consideration

Affected PEPs: 376

Change the default installation scheme

Distribute packaged distributions get installed into paths that are typically under the aegis of the system's package manager. I propose to change the default installation scheme to the (PEP 370) --user one.

Discussion: Distutils/DiscussionOverview/DefaultInstallScheme

Status: Under Consideration

Affected PEPs: None

User defined prefix identifiers

It could be advantageous to provide a method to define arbitrary installation prefixes. This would enable users to split a package into foo and foo-plugin while still being able to install the data files shipped with foo-plugin into the correct location.

Discussion: Distutils/DiscussionOverview/UserPrefixes

Status: Under Consideration

Affected PEPs: 376

User story: Package management

As a user I want to list installed python packages, install and uninstall from command line. I also would like to search for them, list files that they contain. I also want to see if there are updates to them. I want to have an option to see diffs for updates (like directory diffs and content diffs) and changelogs when deciding whenever to update or not. I also want an ability to create my own isolated virtual environment with chosen packages and update it separately.

Discussion: unknown

Status: unknown

Affected PEPs: unknown

Distutils/DiscussionOverview (last edited 2010-07-17 23:18:59 by 40)

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