How do I create a pip installable project?

Question

How do I create a pip installable project? How do you register with pip?

What meta data config should all projects have in order to allow integration and easy import.

• Rik Poggi: You can reach all the information you need from the PyPI homepage.
• Steve Peak: Inspired by @wjoba I wrote a guide here gist.github.com/stevepeak/5520777 enjoy!
• DarkTrick: I'm maintaining a python project template that's ready to be installed with pip, here: github.com/DarkTrick/python_project_template

Answer 1

Or, if you're feeling fancy (read: lazy)...

1. sudo easy_install PasteScript
2. paster create mynewpackage
3. answer the questions!
4. cd mynewpackage
5. python setup.py sdist
6. python setup.py register
7. answer the questions!

Seems like more steps, but the PasteScript package handles a lot of the dirty work. Do yourself a favor and install it, use it, and never look back ;)

• wh1tney: There is also this excellent tutorial if you're looking for a more thorough explanation of how to create and distribute a python package.
• Andy Hayden: You can also install via pip: sudo pip install PasteScript
• uchuugaka: That tutorial link is dead.
• Camilo Martínez M.: This tutorial is good.

Answer 2

You need to

1. Write a setup.py file
2. Run python setup.py sdist tar gzipped file.
3. Run register or submit the project using the web form.

You can register using:

>> python setup.py register

An exmaple setup.py file is:

#!/usr/bin/env python
from distutils.core import setup
 setup(name='Distutils',
 version='1.0',
 description='Python Distribution Utilities',
 author='Greg Ward',
 author_email='[email protected]',
 url='http://www.python.org/sigs/distutils-sig/',
 packages=['distutils', 'distutils.command'],
 )

Users will then just have to upack the taz file and run install..

>> python setup.py install

• Aaron: Here is the current example setup.py file as per PYPA: github.com/pypa/sampleproject/blob/master/setup.py

Answer 3

I wish PasteScript did the job because it seems straightforward but it simply didn't work for me. I got my code uploaded to the pip repository with Peter Down's quick but well-explained tutorial.

Also, remember that if you are trying to have your code import from the package, you have to put it in __init__.py, which is sufficient for most projects.

Answer 4

You may want to check out libmaker. It makes it easy to make packages. This is the link to the homepage and documentation.