Python Packaging Documentation

Question

Where is the current reference for packaging python modules with Python 2.x?

• http://guide.python-distribute.org/ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Packaging (last update from july 2010)
• http://docs.python.org/2.7/distutils/index.html distutils: Distributing Python Modules
• https://python-packaging-user-guide.readthedocs.org/en/latest/ Python Packaging User Guide (fork of hitchhiker guide, alive)

I found the above versions. Which one should I follow?

My modules are simple. Some Python files, some Python scripts and some templates (django).

Update 2021

I am very happy. Finding the maintained tutorial is clear today:

https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/packaging-projects/

Answer 1

The setuptools documentation is (probably) the reference you want.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Packaging and the Python Packaging User Guide are both community written guides to Python packaging, but may be helpful.

You may also find Differences between distribute, distutils, setuptools and distutils2? useful, as there are multiple packaging tools for Python (the short answer is that for Python 2, you should probably use setuptools).