Installing a local Python package dynamically

Question

I'm building a small Python package with a friend.

.
├── __init__.py
└── memoized.py

During the development process, I want to test the installed package - for example, to make sure that some __init__.py code runs as expected.

The current way to achieve this is:

Create a virtualenv on /tmp
Activate it
cd to the repo dir
python setup.py install
cd elsewhere (to avoid importing from the directory instead of importing from the installed package)
Test the import
pip uninstall memoized
Repeat steps 3-7

This is long and cumbersome, and I vaguely remember there's a way to install a package in a way that does not copy its code to the virtualenv, but links to it instead. This way changing the code would be reflected at the next import, without re-installing.

I've searched for "Dynamic importing" and alike but it refers to a different feature.

How can I install a local Python package so that changes to the package code would be immediately reflected?

Did you create setup.py file ? Working in development mode is done with python setup.py develop — Balaïtous
– Balaïtous, Commented Jul 4, 2021 at 10:29

user459872 · Accepted Answer · 2021-07-04 10:01:51Z

4

You could activate the virtualenv first and navigate to the project directory. Then run

pip install --editable .

--editable install a project in editable mode and uses current working directory instead of copying the source code.

edited Jul 4, 2021 at 10:01

answered Jul 4, 2021 at 9:52

user459872

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