17db96d56Sopenharmony_ci:mod:`distutils` --- Building and installing Python modules 27db96d56Sopenharmony_ci=========================================================== 37db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 47db96d56Sopenharmony_ci.. module:: distutils 57db96d56Sopenharmony_ci :synopsis: Support for building and installing Python modules into an 67db96d56Sopenharmony_ci existing Python installation. 77db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 87db96d56Sopenharmony_ci.. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org> 97db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 107db96d56Sopenharmony_ci-------------- 117db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 127db96d56Sopenharmony_ci:mod:`distutils` is deprecated with removal planned for Python 3.12. 137db96d56Sopenharmony_ciSee the :ref:`What's New <distutils-deprecated>` entry for more information. 147db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 157db96d56Sopenharmony_ci-------------- 167db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 177db96d56Sopenharmony_ciThe :mod:`distutils` package provides support for building and installing 187db96d56Sopenharmony_ciadditional modules into a Python installation. The new modules may be either 197db96d56Sopenharmony_ci100%-pure Python, or may be extension modules written in C, or may be 207db96d56Sopenharmony_cicollections of Python packages which include modules coded in both Python and C. 217db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 227db96d56Sopenharmony_ciMost Python users will *not* want to use this module directly, but instead 237db96d56Sopenharmony_ciuse the cross-version tools maintained by the Python Packaging Authority. In 247db96d56Sopenharmony_ciparticular, 257db96d56Sopenharmony_ci`setuptools <https://setuptools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`__ is an 267db96d56Sopenharmony_cienhanced alternative to :mod:`distutils` that provides: 277db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 287db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* support for declaring project dependencies 297db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* additional mechanisms for configuring which files to include in source 307db96d56Sopenharmony_ci releases (including plugins for integration with version control systems) 317db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* the ability to declare project "entry points", which can be used as the 327db96d56Sopenharmony_ci basis for application plugin systems 337db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* the ability to automatically generate Windows command line executables at 347db96d56Sopenharmony_ci installation time rather than needing to prebuild them 357db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* consistent behaviour across all supported Python versions 367db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 377db96d56Sopenharmony_ciThe recommended `pip <https://pip.pypa.io/>`__ installer runs all 387db96d56Sopenharmony_ci``setup.py`` scripts with ``setuptools``, even if the script itself only 397db96d56Sopenharmony_ciimports ``distutils``. Refer to the 407db96d56Sopenharmony_ci`Python Packaging User Guide <https://packaging.python.org>`_ for more 417db96d56Sopenharmony_ciinformation. 427db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 437db96d56Sopenharmony_ciFor the benefits of packaging tool authors and users seeking a deeper 447db96d56Sopenharmony_ciunderstanding of the details of the current packaging and distribution 457db96d56Sopenharmony_cisystem, the legacy :mod:`distutils` based user documentation and API 467db96d56Sopenharmony_cireference remain available: 477db96d56Sopenharmony_ci 487db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* :ref:`install-index` 497db96d56Sopenharmony_ci* :ref:`distutils-index` 50