Python Packaging¶

Installing Poetry¶

It is common for a proactive programmer to run their Python programs in a virtual environment that contains isolated versions of all the packages on which a specific program depends. Although there are many different ways to package a Python program and manage its dependencies, a new tool called Poetry offers a flexible and easy-to-use approach. Bearing in mind that the installation instructions for Poetry vary depending on whether your computer runs Windows, MacOS, or Linux, follow the installation instructions in the Poetry Documentation to ensure that the poetry --version command displays the expected output in your terminal window.

Using Poetry¶

Once you have installed Poetry, you should complete a tutorial called Building a Package where you can learn how to leverage Poetry to create a command-line application with the Typer package! It is worth noting that this tutorial will ask you to write Python source code. If you are not yet familiar with the Python programming language you can copy and paste the code from the tutorial to the appropriate file that you are editing with VS Code. That is, if you are getting started as a proactive Python programmer you should focus on learning how to use Poetry and concentrate less on learning the Python language. As you complete the tutorial, make sure that you consider the following commands in Poetry:

• poetry new: creates a new Poetry project
• poetry add: adds a new dependency to a Poetry project
• poetry install: install all dependencies for a Poetry project
• poetry shell: enters into a shell containing all dependencies
• poetry run: runs a program in a virtual environment
• poetry build: build a packaged version of the Poetry project

Package Installation¶

Please note that, at least for now, you don't need to focus on learning how to publish the tutorial package to the Python Package Index! With that said, if you are interested in doing so, you should now be able to install your program with either pip or pipx and run it as a stand-alone executable. If you get stuck on the use of either Poetry or Typer, make sure that you ask for help from the other members of the proactive community.