[Distutils] Python module for use in ‘setup.py’ but not to install

[Ben Finney]

Nick Coghlan <ncoghlan at gmail.com> writes:

> If you have a build/install time only dependency that you want to
> distribute, you *have* to separate it out into a separate component if
> you don't want it to also be present at runtime.

So, to be clear: if this module is needed during build-time for the
distribution but does not have a stable API yet, you're saying it
nevertheless needs to go to a repository for download as an independent
distribution?

That places a large burden on developing such components. Placing them
in a repository for independent download strongly implies they have a
reliable public API, which in this case is not yet true.

The API for this component isn't stable, and so far isn't needed beyond
the packaging for this one distribution. That's why I don't want to
separate it out yet.

> We do not, and will not, support selective installation of
> subcomponents, as it's too hard to audit later. Instead, such
> components need to be separated out into distinct packages so that the
> segmentation of functionality and availability is clear to both the
> automated tools and to other humans.

That's your authority as PyPA, of course. I hope it's clear why I'm not
satisfied by the reasoning though.

-- 
 \       “Anyone who puts a small gloss on [a] fundamental technology, |
  `\          calls it proprietary, and then tries to keep others from |
_o__)           building on it, is a thief.” —Tim O'Reilly, 2000-01-25 |
Ben Finney