Pip and the Python Package Authority with Donald Stufft

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Summary

As Python developers we have all used pip to install the different libraries and projects that we need for our work, but have you ever wondered about who works on pip and how the package archive we all know and love is maintained? In this episode we interviewed Donald Stufft who is the primary maintainer of pip and the Python Package Index about how he got involved with the projects, what kind of work is involved, and what is on the roadmap. Give it a listen and then give him a big thank you for all of his hard work!

Brief Introduction

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• Your hosts as usual are Tobias Macey and Chris Patti
• Today we are interviewing Donald Stufft about Pip and the Python Packaging Authority

Interview with Donald Stufft

• Introductions
• How did you get introduced to Python? – Chris
• How did you get involved with the Pip project? – Tobias
• What is the Python Packaging Authority and what does it do? – Tobias
• How is PyPi / the Python Packaging Authority funded? – Chris
• What is your opinion on the current state of Python packaging? Are there lessons from other languages and package managers that you think should be adopted by Python? – Tobias
• What was involved in getting pip into the standard Python distribution? Was there any controversy around this? – Chris
• Can you describe some of the mechanics of Pip and how it differs from the other packaging systems that Python has used in the past? – Tobias
• Does pip interact at all with virtualenv, pyenv and the like? – Chris
• The newest package format for Python is the wheel system. Can you describe what that is and what its benefits are? – Tobias
• What are the biggest challenges that you have encountered while working on Pip? – Tobias
• What does the infrastructure for the Python Package Index look like? – Tobias
• What have been some of the challenges around scaling Pypi’s infrastructure to meet demand? – Chris
• You’re currently working on a replacement for the PyPI site with the Warehouse project. Can you explain your motivation for that and how it improves on the current system? – Tobias
• Where do you see the future of dependency management in Python headed? – Chris
• A few days ago there was a big story about how an NPM library was removed from the index, breaking a large number of dependent projects and applications. Do you think that anything like that could happen in the Python ecosystem? – Tobias
• What’s on the roadmap for Pip? – Tobias

Keep In Touch

• GitHub
• DistUtils Special Interest Group
• Email
• @dstufft on Twitter

Picks

• Tobias
  • Xiki



• Chris
  • Agar.io
  • Culprate
  • TCP/IP Illustrated Volume I: The Protocols



• Donald
  • Linux on Windows 10

Links

• Bandersnatch
• Wheel
• Warehouse pypa/warehouse
• PyPI Sponsors56
• DevPI

The intro and outro music is from Requiem for a Fish The Freak Fandango Orchestra / CC BY-SA