[Python-ideas] Distribution agnostic Python project packaging

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 02:50:52PM +0200, James Pic wrote:

> And I'm always facing the same problem: I have to either build runtime
> dependencies on the server, either package my thing in the platform
> specific way. I feel like I've spent a really huge amount of time doing
> this king of thing. But the java people, they have jars, and they have
> smooth deployments no matter where they deploy it.
> 
> So that's the idea I'm trying to share: I'd like to b able to build a file
> with my dependencies and my project in it.
[...]
> So I wonder, do you think the best solution for me would be to build an elf
> binary with my Python and dependencies that I could just run on any
> distribution given its on the right architecture ? Note that I like to use
> Arm too, so I know I'd need to be able to cross compile too.

Your question is off-topic for this list. This list is for proposing new 
features for the Python language, but you don't seem to proposing 
anything new.

To ask for advice on using Python (including things like packaging 
dependencies), you probably should ask on the Python-List mailing list, 
also available on usenet as comp.lang.python. There may be some other 
dedicated mailing lists that specialise in packaging questions, check 
the mailing list server here:

https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo

I can't really help you with your question, except to point you in the 
direction of a little-known feature of Python: zip file application 
support:

https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0441/

https://docs.python.org/3/library/zipapp.html



-- 
Steve