How to Prevent Generating *.egg File When Publishing Python Packages to TestPyPI/PyPI

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What will you learn?

In this tutorial, you will learn how to prevent the generation of .egg files when uploading Python packages to TestPyPI or PyPI. By making a simple adjustment in your packaging configuration, you can ensure cleaner and more compatible distributions without the presence of unnecessary .egg artifacts.

Introduction to the Problem and Solution

When distributing Python packages on platforms like TestPyPI or PyPI, the generation of *.egg files alongside the distribution package can lead to compatibility issues with certain tools or environments. To address this issue and maintain cleaner distributions, we need to modify our packaging setup.

To solve this problem, we will focus on adjusting the setup.py file by adding a specific parameter that instructs the build process not to create *.egg files during packaging.

Code

from setuptools import setup

setup(
    name='your_package_name',
    version='1.0',
    # other metadata...

    # Add this line to disable egg creation
    zip_safe=False,
)

# Copyright PHD

Explanation

By including zip_safe=False in your setup.py file, you are indicating to setuptools that your project is not zip-safe and should not be installed as a zipfile. This adjustment effectively prevents the generation of *.egg files during the packaging process, ensuring only clean source distributions are produced.

    1. How does setting zip_safe=False prevent generating *.egg files? Setting zip_safe=False informs setuptools that your project should not be installed as a zipfile, thus preventing the creation of *.egg files during packaging.

    2. Will disabling *.egg creation affect my package’s functionality? Disabling *.eggs does not impact your package’s functionality; it solely alters how it is distributed and installed.

    3. Can I still use wheels if I disable generating eggs? Yes, even after disabling *.egg generation, you can still create and distribute wheel packages without any issues.

    4. Are there any performance implications of disabling egg creation? Disabling egg creation may slightly increase installation times due to differences in how zipfiles and directories are handled by Python’s import system under certain conditions.

    5. Is it necessary to set zip_safe=False for every project I publish? While not mandatory, it is recommended for consistency across projects regarding the prevention of egg-file generation.

    6. How do I verify that no *.eggs were generated after making this change? After executing python setup.py sdist, check the output directory (usually /dist) for only .tar.gz or .whl files but no .egg.

    7. What happens if I forget to set zip_safe=False before publishing my package? Forgetting can lead to unintentional generation of unwanted .*eggs alongside your distribution package on TestPyPI or PyPI.

    8. Does setting ‘zip_safe’ impact development mode installation using ‘pip install -e .’? No, setting ‘zip_safe’ does not affect installing a project in editable mode (pip install -e .). The editable mode continues working as expected regardless of this setting.

    9. Is there an alternative method besides modifying setup.py directly? Some tools like Flit offer built-in mechanisms for avoiding generating .*eggs without needing manual intervention in setup scripts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by implementing zip_safe = False in your setup.py, you can effectively prevent the generation of *.egg files when publishing Python packages. This practice helps maintain compatibility and cleanliness in distributions by ensuring that only source distributions (`.tar.gz`, .whl) are created without any additional *.egg artifacts cluttering up deployment packages.

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