How do I build multiple wheel files from a single setup.py?

Question

In my project, I have a single setup.py file that builds multiple modules using the following namespace pattern:

from setuptools import setup

setup(name="testmoduleserver",
      packages=["testmodule.server","testmodule.shared"],
      namespace_packages=["testmodule"])

setup(name="testmoduleclient",
      packages=["testmodule.client","testmodule.shared"],
      namespace_packages=["testmodule"])

I am trying to build wheel files for both packages. However, when I do:

python -m pip wheel .

It only ever builds the package for one of the definitions.

Why does only one package get built?

Answer 1

You cannot call setuptools.setup() more than once in your setup.py, even if you want to create several packages out of one codebase.

Instead you need to separate everything out into separate namespace packages, and have one setup.py for each (they all can reside in one Git repository!):

testmodule/
    testmodule-client/
        setup.py
        testmodule/
            client/
                __init__.py
    testmodule-server/
        setup.py
        testmodule/
            server/
                __init__.py
    testmodule-shared/
        setup.py
        testmodule/
            shared/
                __init__.py

And each setup.py contains something along the lines

from setuptools import setup

setup(
    name='testmodule-client',
    packages=['testmodule.client'],
    install_requires=['testmodule-shared'],
    ...
)

and

from setuptools import setup

setup(
    name='testmodule-server',
    packages=['testmodule.server'],
    install_requires=['testmodule-shared'],
    ...
)

and

from setuptools import setup

setup(
    name='testmodule-shared',
    packages=['testmodule.shared'],
    ...
)

To build all three wheels you then run

pip wheel testmodule-client
pip wheel testmodule-server
pip wheel testmodule-shared