Table of Contents
This section describes the various tools to help package Python programs and modules for Debian. Although none of these tools are mandatory, their use is strongly encouraged, as the above policy has been designed with them in mind (and vice versa). This appendix is just an overview. If you use these tools, you should read their full documentation.
The standard Python distutils module has been modified in
Debian to change the default installation directory of public
Python modules and to add a new flag to the install
command to override the default, --install-layout=.
Public Python modules installed with a modified distutils default
to
/usr/local/lib/python
for Python 2.6 and later. This directory is seen by the
system-provided Python 2.6.
X.Y/dist-packages
When using a local Python installation, the default is
/usr/local/lib/python
which is only seen by the local Python installation.
X.Y/site-packages
Using the --install-layout=deb flag to
the install command of setup.py with a
system-provided Python 2.6 or later versions, Python modules will
be installed to
/usr/lib/python
which is only seen by the system-provided Python, not by a local
installation.
X.Y/dist-packages
The related Python setuptools module has been modified in
Debian along the same lines as distutils.
Upstream focus on developments and improvements for Python packaging
tools has largely shifted away from distutils and to
setuptools. They offer a similar API and at some point in
the future, setuptools may fully replace distutils
in Debian package builds.
dh-python provides extensions
for debhelper to make it easier to package
Python modules and extensions. They calculate Python dependencies,
add maintainer scripts to byte compile files, etc. Their use is
not mandatory, but they are recommended by the Debian Python
maintainers.
See man dh_python3 or man dh_python2 for
details.
Pybuild is a Debian Python specific build system that invokes various build systems for requested Python versions in order to build modules and extensions. It supports automatically building for multiple Python versions.
python-support provided another way to manage
Python modules. It has been removed from Debian Stretch and later
releases.