distutilssetuptools

Distutils and setuptools are Python packaging tools used to build, distribute, and install Python projects. Distutils is the original packaging tool that comes from the Python standard library, while setuptools is an enhanced extension that builds on distutils to provide additional features and a more flexible workflow. Together they have shaped the way Python projects are packaged and distributed.

Distutils provides a setup.py script that calls a setup() function with project metadata and a set of standard commands (such as build, install, and sdist) to create distributions. While functional, distutils lacks robust dependency management, plugin architecture, and modern distribution capabilities, making it less suitable for current packaging needs.

Setuptools originated as an extension to distutils to address its limitations. It adds features such as automatic package discovery, enhanced metadata handling, support for namespace packages, and integration with modern packaging formats like wheels. Setuptools has become the de facto standard for Python packaging, widely adopted by the community and PyPI.

Current status and practice: Distutils has been deprecated in Python's standard library, with removal planned for a future release, and most projects are migrating to setuptools and modern build backends. Modern packaging typically uses PEP 517/518 workflows, configuring the build system with a pyproject.toml file and using tools like pip and the build package to produce wheels and source distributions. Setup.py remains supported for backward compatibility, but declarative configurations and explicit build backends are preferred for new projects.

See also: Python packaging, wheel, PyPI.