.. glossary::
Binary Distribution
A specific kind of :term:`Built Distribution` that contains compiled
extensions.
Build Backend
A library that takes a source tree or
:term:`source distribution <Source Distribution (or "sdist")>`
and builds a source distribution or :term:`wheel <Wheel>` from it.
The build is delegated to the backend by a
:term:`frontend <Build Frontend>`.
All backends offer a standardized interface.
Examples of build backends are
:ref:`flit's flit-core <flit>`,
:ref:`hatch's hatchling <hatch>`,
:ref:`maturin`,
:ref:`meson-python`,
:ref:`scikit-build-core`,
and :ref:`setuptools`.
Build Frontend
A tool that users might run
that takes arbitrary source trees or
:term:`source distributions <Source Distribution (or "sdist")>`
and builds source distributions or :term:`wheels <Wheel>` from them.
The actual building is delegated to each source tree's
:term:`build backend <Build Backend>`.
Examples of build frontends are :ref:`pip` and :ref:`build`.
Built Distribution
A :term:`Distribution <Distribution Package>` format containing files
and metadata that only need to be moved to the correct location on the
target system, to be installed. :term:`Wheel` is such a format, whereas
distutil's :term:`Source Distribution <Source Distribution (or
"sdist")>` is not, in that it requires a build step before it can be
installed. This format does not imply that Python files have to be
precompiled (:term:`Wheel` intentionally does not include compiled
Python files).
Distribution Package
A versioned archive file that contains Python :term:`packages <Import
Package>`, :term:`modules <Module>`, and other resource files that are
used to distribute a :term:`Release`. The archive file is what an
end-user will download from the internet and install.
A distribution package is more commonly referred to with the single
words "package" or "distribution", but this guide may use the expanded
term when more clarity is needed to prevent confusion with an
:term:`Import Package` (which is also commonly called a "package") or
another kind of distribution (e.g. a Linux distribution or the Python
language distribution), which are often referred to with the single term
"distribution".
Egg
A :term:`Built Distribution` format introduced by :ref:`setuptools`,
which is being replaced by :term:`Wheel`. For details, see
:doc:`The Internal Structure of Python Eggs <setuptools:deprecated/python_eggs>` and
`Python Eggs <http://peak.telecommunity.com/DevCenter/PythonEggs>`_
Extension Module
A :term:`Module` written in the low-level language of the Python implementation:
C/C++ for Python, Java for Jython. Typically contained in a single
dynamically loadable pre-compiled file, e.g. a shared object (.so) file
for Python extensions on Unix, a DLL (given the .pyd extension) for
Python extensions on Windows, or a Java class file for Jython
extensions.
Known Good Set (KGS)
A set of distributions at specified versions which are compatible with
each other. Typically a test suite will be run which passes all tests
before a specific set of packages is declared a known good set. This
term is commonly used by frameworks and toolkits which are comprised of
multiple individual distributions.
Import Package
A Python module which can contain other modules or recursively, other
packages.
An import package is more commonly referred to with the single word
"package", but this guide will use the expanded term when more clarity
is needed to prevent confusion with a :term:`Distribution Package` which
is also commonly called a "package".
Module
The basic unit of code reusability in Python, existing in one of two
types: :term:`Pure Module`, or :term:`Extension Module`.
Package Index
A repository of distributions with a web interface to automate
:term:`package <Distribution Package>` discovery and consumption.
Per Project Index
A private or other non-canonical :term:`Package Index` indicated by
a specific :term:`Project` as the index preferred or required to
resolve dependencies of that project.
Project
A library, framework, script, plugin, application, or collection of data
or other resources, or some combination thereof that is intended to be
packaged into a :term:`Distribution <Distribution Package>`.
Since most projects create :term:`Distributions <Distribution Package>`
using either :pep:`518` ``build-system``, :ref:`distutils` or
:ref:`setuptools`, another practical way to define projects currently
is something that contains a :term:`pyproject.toml`, :term:`setup.py`,
or :term:`setup.cfg` file at the root of the project source directory.
Python projects must have unique names, which are registered on
:term:`PyPI <Python Package Index (PyPI)>`. Each project will then
contain one or more :term:`Releases <Release>`, and each release may
comprise one or more :term:`distributions <Distribution Package>`.
Note that there is a strong convention to name a project after the name
of the package that is imported to run that project. However, this
doesn't have to hold true. It's possible to install a distribution from
the project 'foo' and have it provide a package importable only as
'bar'.
Pure Module
A :term:`Module` written in Python and contained in a single ``.py`` file (and
possibly associated ``.pyc`` and/or ``.pyo`` files).
Python Packaging Authority (PyPA)
PyPA is a working group that maintains many of the relevant
projects in Python packaging. They maintain a site at
:doc:`pypa.io <pypa:index>`, host projects on `GitHub
<https://github.com/pypa>`_ and `Bitbucket
<https://bitbucket.org/pypa>`_, and discuss issues on the
`distutils-sig mailing list
<https://mail.python.org/mailman3/lists/distutils-sig.python.org/>`_
and `the Python Discourse forum <https://discuss.python.org/c/packaging>`__.
Python Package Index (PyPI)
`PyPI <https://pypi.org>`_ is the default :term:`Package
Index` for the Python community. It is open to all Python developers to
consume and distribute their distributions.
pypi.org
`pypi.org <https://pypi.org>`_ is the domain name for the
:term:`Python Package Index (PyPI)`. It replaced the legacy index
domain name, ``pypi.python.org``, in 2017. It is powered by
:ref:`warehouse`.
pyproject.toml
The tool-agnostic :term:`Project` specification file.
Defined in :pep:`518`.
Release
A snapshot of a :term:`Project` at a particular point in time, denoted
by a version identifier.
Making a release may entail the publishing of multiple
:term:`Distributions <Distribution Package>`. For example, if version
1.0 of a project was released, it could be available in both a source
distribution format and a Windows installer distribution format.
Requirement
A specification for a :term:`package <Distribution Package>` to be
installed. :ref:`pip`, the :term:`PYPA <Python Packaging Authority
(PyPA)>` recommended installer, allows various forms of specification
that can all be considered a "requirement". For more information, see the
:ref:`pip:pip install` reference.
Requirement Specifier
A format used by :ref:`pip` to install packages from a :term:`Package
Index`. For an EBNF diagram of the format, see the
`pkg_resources.Requirement
<https://setuptools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/pkg_resources.html#requirement-objects>`_
entry in the :ref:`setuptools` docs. For example, "foo>=1.3" is a
requirement specifier, where "foo" is the project name, and the ">=1.3"
portion is the :term:`Version Specifier`
Requirements File
A file containing a list of :term:`Requirements <Requirement>` that can
be installed using :ref:`pip`. For more information, see the :ref:`pip`
docs on :ref:`pip:Requirements Files`.
setup.py
setup.cfg
The project specification files for :ref:`distutils` and :ref:`setuptools`.
See also :term:`pyproject.toml`.
Source Archive
An archive containing the raw source code for a :term:`Release`, prior
to creation of a :term:`Source Distribution <Source Distribution (or
"sdist")>` or :term:`Built Distribution`.
Source Distribution (or "sdist")
A :term:`distribution <Distribution Package>` format (usually generated
using ``python -m build --sdist``) that provides metadata and the
essential source files needed for installing by a tool like :ref:`pip`,
or for generating a :term:`Built Distribution`.
System Package
A package provided in a format native to the operating system,
e.g. an rpm or dpkg file.
Version Specifier
The version component of a :term:`Requirement Specifier`. For example,
the ">=1.3" portion of "foo>=1.3". Read the :ref:`Version specifier specification
<version-specifiers>` for a full description of the
specifiers that Python packaging currently supports. Support for this
specification was implemented in :ref:`setuptools` v8.0 and :ref:`pip` v6.0.
Virtual Environment
An isolated Python environment that allows packages to be installed for
use by a particular application, rather than being installed system
wide. For more information, see the section on :ref:`Creating and using
Virtual Environments`.
Wheel
A :term:`Built Distribution` format introduced by an official
:doc:`standard specification
</specifications/binary-distribution-format/>`,
which is intended to replace the :term:`Egg` format. Wheel is currently
supported by :ref:`pip`.
Working Set
A collection of :term:`distributions <Distribution Package>` available
for importing. These are the distributions that are on the `sys.path`
variable. At most, one :term:`Distribution <Distribution Package>` for a
project is possible in a working set.