Kevin P. FlemingApr 14, 2025

Python advice requested:

I need to include a small test program, written in Python, in a repository containing other software not in Python. The program will have multiple source files and use dependencies from PyPI, but does not need to be installed anywhere. The expected usage is to just run it directly from the directory where it lives.

Is there a suitable tool to use to run it which will create a temporary virtual environment, install the dependencies, run the program, and then clean that stuff up?

#Python

Show threadbignoseApr 14, 2025

You've got conflicting requirements here @kevin.

By depending on third-party libraries, you do need an install step, which installs your Python program along with its dependencies, as a coherent whole.

So I think you can't also have "the program doesn't need to be installed anywhere"; yeah, it does, otherwise it's just a file sitting on the disk. It needs to be installed before the recipient can use it as a program.

Show threadPhilip Mallegol-Hansen
@bignose @kevin I’m reading it as Kevin saying it’s not a requirement to create an *installable* version of the tool for third parties to use.
Apr 14, 2025 at 11:00pmWeb