Python Packaging

Question 1

Windows/Mac installation philosophy is ___

Answer 1

self-containment

Question 2

Linux installation philosophy is ___

Answer 2

modular

Question 3

Upgrading a dependency affects all packages that depend upon it, which sacrifices some ___

Answer 3

stability

Question 4

module

Answer 4

Python file

Question 5

package

Answer 5

directory containing Python files

Question 6

release

Answer 6

one version

Question 7

Problem: To use distutils, conventionally developers use setup.py, but ___

Answer 7

it does too much (build, package, publish, install & more) and causes confusion

Question 8

Problem: static metadata file sent to PyPI is dependent on ___

Answer 8

the platform it is compiled on

Question 9

Problem: PyPI server

Answer 9

PyPI is a single server holding various dependencies, and thus is a single point of failure

Question 10

Problem: When distributions are not stored at PyPI and a Download-URL link is provided, therefore ___

Answer 10

installers must follow that link and hope it works

Question 11

Problem: Distutils installer doesn’t record what was installed, therefore ___

Answer 11

it’s impossible to remove all files

Question 12

Problem: To work for a particular platform, a packager ___

Answer 12

must repackage and patch setup.py

Question 13

Improved Standards: Metadata

Answer 13

• sane versioning
• project-level dependencies (e.g. optional versioning of dependencies)
• environment markers to add a condition about the execution environment