Install Locally Developed Python Module

Question

I am currently in the process of developing a module that I am using as a library to be imported in another project. I need a sane way that I can install this module in the python site packages in such a way that I don't need to reinstall it everytime I make changes to it. Currently, I am using sudo pip install --force-reinstall {BASE_FOLDER_FOR_MODULE} , but need to re run this command everytime I make any changes to the module code.

The little bit of info I've been able to find on the subject seems to indicate that while I can symlink the base folder for the module in the site-packages folder for my other project, that this may not necessarily be a good way to do it. Is symlinking the folder bad, and if so why? Is there an alternate (better) option?

Thanks

Answer 1

If the library is still under active development then consider adding it to environment variable PYTHONPATH . Directories in PYTHONPATH are appended to sys.path and are searched last when trying to find a module. Using PYTHONPATH means you only have to make minimal changes (set it in a config file source file or .bashrc file) for things to work. Once the library is finalised you can install it to the site-packages directory and remove it from PYTHONPATH .