27.16. distutils — Building and installing Python modules

The distutils package provides support for building and installing additional modules into a Python installation. The new modules may be either 100%-pure Python, or may be extension modules written in C, or may be collections of Python packages which include modules coded in both Python and C.

This package is discussed in two separate chapters:

See also

Distributing Python Modules

The manual for developers and packagers of Python modules. This describes how to prepare distutils-based packages so that they may be easily installed into an existing Python installation.

Installing Python Modules

An “administrators” manual which includes information on installing modules into an existing Python installation. You do not need to be a Python programmer to read this manual.