pypackinit 1.0

Rapid python package skeleton generator

Python Package Initializer

This utility is aimed at creating the boilerplate necessary when starting a new python package. I've found out that packaging even my own script helps tremendously in the long run, and also improves the general quality of my projects.

How do I install it?

Simply open a terminal/prompt and type

pip install pypackinit

and a new command, ppinit will be added to your PATH.

If you can't install packages in your system interpreter (you shouldn't anyway), you can add the --user option.

What does this script do?

Following the PyPA guide on packaging, this script simply generates the essential files to get you started on a new project. Suppose you want to start a project named panino. This means that you have to create by hand the setup.py script, fill it up, then create README, CHANGELOG, LICENSE, etc. With pypackinit, all of this is done with a single line (spread on multiple lines for clarity).

ppinit panino 'The best panino on Earth, with even more cheese!' \
    -a 'Nino Pa' \
    -e [e-mail] \
    -u https://panino.bread.com

Now you have a directory structure like this

project_root/
├── panino
│   └── __init__.py
├── CHANGELOG.md
├── LICENSE.txt
├── MANIFEST.in
├── README.md
└── setup.py

ready to go! In practice, this script is an extremely simplified version of cookiecutter (and it's not a fork).

Why packaging my own modules?

Packaging means that you don't have to set up your PYTHONPATH every time you change machine and that your virtualenvs can simply "install" your other projects.

Suppose that you have Project A and Project B, where B depends on A. With packaging, you could install A in B's virtual environment and then you could fix issues and work on additional features of A without compromising the functionality of B. I have had this issue several times and by pacakging basically all my scripts and modules I have solved most of my problems when it comes to re-use my projects!

Also, I found out that sharing code with people that are not comfortable with git and the likes is way easier if you can just send them a wheel. :)

Changelog

1.0

First fully-working version.