docs/manual/adding-packages-python.txt - buildroot - Git at Google

 // -*- mode:doc; -*-
 // vim: set syntax=asciidoc:

 === Infrastructure for Python packages

 This infrastructure applies to Python packages that use the standard
 Python setuptools mechanism as their build system, generally
 recognizable by the usage of a +setup.py+ script.

 [[python-package-tutorial]]

 ==== +python-package+ tutorial

 First, let's see how to write a +.mk+ file for a Python package,
 with an example :

 ------------------------
 01: ################################################################################
 02: #
 03: # python-foo
 04: #
 05: ################################################################################
 06:
 07: PYTHON_FOO_VERSION = 1.0
 08: PYTHON_FOO_SOURCE = python-foo-$(PYTHON_FOO_VERSION).tar.xz
 09: PYTHON_FOO_SITE = http://www.foosoftware.org/download
 10: PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE = BSD-3c
 11: PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE_FILES = LICENSE
 12: PYTHON_FOO_ENV = SOME_VAR=1
 13: PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES = libmad
 14: PYTHON_FOO_SETUP_TYPE = distutils
 15:
 16: $(eval $(python-package))
 ------------------------

 On line 7, we declare the version of the package.

 On line 8 and 9, we declare the name of the tarball (xz-ed tarball
 recommended) and the location of the tarball on the Web. Buildroot
 will automatically download the tarball from this location.

 On line 10 and 11, we give licensing details about the package (its
 license on line 10, and the file containing the license text on line
 11).

 On line 12, we tell Buildroot to pass custom options to the Python
 +setup.py+ script when it is configuring the package.

 On line 13, we declare our dependencies, so that they are built
 before the build process of our package starts.

 On line 14, we declare the specific Python build system being used. In
 this case the +distutils+ Python build system is used. The two
 supported ones are +distutils+ and +setuptools+.

 Finally, on line 16, we invoke the +python-package+ macro that
 generates all the Makefile rules that actually allow the package to be
 built.

 [[python-package-reference]]

 ==== +python-package+ reference

 As a policy, packages that merely provide Python modules should all be
 named +python-<something>+ in Buildroot. Other packages that use the
 Python build system, but are not Python modules, can freely choose
 their name (existing examples in Buildroot are +scons+ and
 +supervisor+).

 In their +Config.in+ file, they should depend on +BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON+
 so that when Buildroot will enable Python 3 usage for modules, we will
 be able to enable Python modules progressively on Python 3.

 The main macro of the Python package infrastructure is
 +python-package+. It is similar to the +generic-package+ macro. It is
 also possible to create Python host packages with the
 +host-python-package+ macro.

 Just like the generic infrastructure, the Python infrastructure works
 by defining a number of variables before calling the +python-package+
 or +host-python-package+ macros.

 All the package metadata information variables that exist in the
 xref:generic-package-reference[generic package infrastructure] also
 exist in the Python infrastructure: +PYTHON_FOO_VERSION+,
 +PYTHON_FOO_SOURCE+, +PYTHON_FOO_PATCH+, +PYTHON_FOO_SITE+,
 +PYTHON_FOO_SUBDIR+, +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+, +PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE+,
 +PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE_FILES+, +PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_STAGING+, etc.

 Note that:

  * It is not necessary to add +python+ or +host-python+ in the
    +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+ variable of a package, since these basic
    dependencies are automatically added as needed by the Python
    package infrastructure.

  * Similarly, it is not needed to add +host-setuptools+ and/or
    +host-distutilscross+ dependencies to +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+ for
    setuptools-based packages, since these are automatically added by
    the Python infrastructure as needed.

 One variable specific to the Python infrastructure is mandatory:

 * +PYTHON_FOO_SETUP_TYPE+, to define which Python build system is used
   by the package. The two supported values are +distutils+ and
   +setuptools+. If you don't know which one is used in your package,
   look at the +setup.py+ file in your package source code, and see
   whether it imports things from the +distutils+ module or the
   +setuptools+ module.

 A few additional variables, specific to the Python infrastructure, can
 optionally be defined, depending on the package's needs. Many of them
 are only useful in very specific cases, typical packages will
 therefore only use a few of them, or none.

 * +PYTHON_FOO_ENV+, to specify additional environment variables to
   pass to the Python +setup.py+ script (for both the build and install
   steps). Note that the infrastructure is automatically passing
   several standard variables, defined in +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_ENV+
   (for distutils target packages), +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_ENV+
   (for distutils host packages), +PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV+ (for
   setuptools target packages) and +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV+
   (for setuptools host packages).

 * +PYTHON_FOO_BUILD_OPTS+, to specify additional options to pass to the
   Python +setup.py+ script during the build step. For target distutils
   packages, the +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_BUILD_OPTS+ options are already
   passed automatically by the infrastructure.

 * +PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS+, +PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS+,
   +HOST_PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_OPTS+ to specify additional options to pass
   to the Python +setup.py+ script during the target installation step,
   the staging installation step or the host installation,
   respectively. Note that the infrastructure is automatically passing
   some options, defined in +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS+
   or +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS+ (for target distutils
   packages), +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_OPTS+ (for host
   distutils packages), +PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS+ or
   +PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS+ (for target setuptools
   packages) and +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_OPTS+ (for host
   setuptools packages).

 * +HOST_PYTHON_FOO_NEEDS_HOST_PYTHON+, to define the host python
   interpreter. The usage of this variable is limited to host
   packages. The two supported value are +python2+ and +python3+. It
   will ensure the right host python package is available and will
   invoke it for the build. If some build steps are overloaded, the
   right python interpreter must be explicitly called in the commands.

 With the Python infrastructure, all the steps required to build and
 install the packages are already defined, and they generally work well
 for most Python-based packages. However, when required, it is still
 possible to customize what is done in any particular step:

 * By adding a post-operation hook (after extract, patch, configure,
   build or install). See xref:hooks[] for details.

 * By overriding one of the steps. For example, even if the Python
   infrastructure is used, if the package +.mk+ file defines its own
   +PYTHON_FOO_BUILD_CMDS+ variable, it will be used instead of the
   default Python one. However, using this method should be restricted
   to very specific cases. Do not use it in the general case.

 [[scanpypi]]

 ==== Generating a +python-package+ from a PyPI repository

 If the Python package for which you would like to create a Buildroot
 package is available on PyPI, you may want to use the +scanpypi+ tool
 located in +support/scripts+ to automate the process.

 You can find the list of existing PyPI packages
 https://pypi.python.org[here].

 +scanpypi+ requires Python's +setuptools+ package to be installed on
 your host.

 When at the root of your buildroot directory just do :

 -----------------------
 ./support/script/scanpypi foo bar -o package
 -----------------------

 This will generate packages +python-foo+ and +python-bar+ in the package
 folder if they exist on https://pypi.python.org.

 Find the +external python modules+ menu and insert your package inside.
 Keep in mind that the items inside a menu should be in alphabetical order.

 Please keep in mind that you'll most likely have to manually check the
 package for any mistakes as there are things that cannot be guessed by
 the generator (e.g.  dependencies on any of the python core modules
 such as BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_ZLIB).  Also, please take note that the
 license and license files are guessed and must be checked. You also
 need to manually add the package to the +package/Config.in+ file.

 If your Buildroot package is not in the official Buildroot tree but in
 a +BR2_EXTERNAL+ tree, use the -o flag as follows:

 -----------------------
 ./support/script/scanpypi foo bar -o other_package_dir
 -----------------------

 This will generate packages +python-foo+ and +python-bar+ in the
 +other_package_directory+ instead of +package+.

 Option +-h+ will list the available options:

 -----------------------
 ./support/script/scanpypi -h
 -----------------------

 [[python-package-cffi-backend]]

 ==== +python-package+ CFFI backend

 C Foreign Function Interface for Python (CFFI) provides a convenient
 and reliable way to call compiled C code from Python using interface
 declarations written in C. Python packages relying on this backend can
 be identified by the appearance of a +cffi+ dependency in the
 +install_requires+ field of their +setup.py+ file.

 Such a package should:

  * add +python-cffi+ as a runtime dependency in order to install the
 compiled C library wrapper on the target. This is achieved by adding
 +select BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_CFFI+ to the package +Config.in+.

 ------------------------
 config BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_FOO
         bool "python-foo"
         select BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_CFFI # runtime
 ------------------------

  * add +host-python-cffi+ as a build-time dependency in order to
 cross-compile the C wrapper. This is achieved by adding
 +host-python-cffi+ to the +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+ variable.

 ------------------------
 ################################################################################
 #
 # python-foo
 #
 ################################################################################

 ...

 PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES = host-python-cffi

 $(eval $(python-package))
 ------------------------
	// -- mode:doc; --
	// vim: set syntax=asciidoc:

	=== Infrastructure for Python packages

	This infrastructure applies to Python packages that use the standard
	Python setuptools mechanism as their build system, generally
	recognizable by the usage of a +setup.py+ script.

	[[python-package-tutorial]]

	==== +python-package+ tutorial

	First, let's see how to write a +.mk+ file for a Python package,
	with an example :

	------------------------
	01: ################################################################################
	02: #
	03: # python-foo
	04: #
	05: ################################################################################
	06:
	07: PYTHON_FOO_VERSION = 1.0
	08: PYTHON_FOO_SOURCE = python-foo-$(PYTHON_FOO_VERSION).tar.xz
	09: PYTHON_FOO_SITE = http://www.foosoftware.org/download
	10: PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE = BSD-3c
	11: PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE_FILES = LICENSE
	12: PYTHON_FOO_ENV = SOME_VAR=1
	13: PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES = libmad
	14: PYTHON_FOO_SETUP_TYPE = distutils
	15:
	16: $(eval $(python-package))
	------------------------

	On line 7, we declare the version of the package.

	On line 8 and 9, we declare the name of the tarball (xz-ed tarball
	recommended) and the location of the tarball on the Web. Buildroot
	will automatically download the tarball from this location.

	On line 10 and 11, we give licensing details about the package (its
	license on line 10, and the file containing the license text on line
	11).

	On line 12, we tell Buildroot to pass custom options to the Python
	+setup.py+ script when it is configuring the package.

	On line 13, we declare our dependencies, so that they are built
	before the build process of our package starts.

	On line 14, we declare the specific Python build system being used. In
	this case the +distutils+ Python build system is used. The two
	supported ones are +distutils+ and +setuptools+.

	Finally, on line 16, we invoke the +python-package+ macro that
	generates all the Makefile rules that actually allow the package to be
	built.

	[[python-package-reference]]

	==== +python-package+ reference

	As a policy, packages that merely provide Python modules should all be
	named +python-<something>+ in Buildroot. Other packages that use the
	Python build system, but are not Python modules, can freely choose
	their name (existing examples in Buildroot are +scons+ and
	+supervisor+).

	In their +Config.in+ file, they should depend on +BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON+
	so that when Buildroot will enable Python 3 usage for modules, we will
	be able to enable Python modules progressively on Python 3.

	The main macro of the Python package infrastructure is
	+python-package+. It is similar to the +generic-package+ macro. It is
	also possible to create Python host packages with the
	+host-python-package+ macro.

	Just like the generic infrastructure, the Python infrastructure works
	by defining a number of variables before calling the +python-package+
	or +host-python-package+ macros.

	All the package metadata information variables that exist in the
	xref:generic-package-reference[generic package infrastructure] also
	exist in the Python infrastructure: +PYTHON_FOO_VERSION+,
	+PYTHON_FOO_SOURCE+, +PYTHON_FOO_PATCH+, +PYTHON_FOO_SITE+,
	+PYTHON_FOO_SUBDIR+, +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+, +PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE+,
	+PYTHON_FOO_LICENSE_FILES+, +PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_STAGING+, etc.

	Note that:

	* It is not necessary to add +python+ or +host-python+ in the
	+PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+ variable of a package, since these basic
	dependencies are automatically added as needed by the Python
	package infrastructure.

	* Similarly, it is not needed to add +host-setuptools+ and/or
	+host-distutilscross+ dependencies to +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+ for
	setuptools-based packages, since these are automatically added by
	the Python infrastructure as needed.

	One variable specific to the Python infrastructure is mandatory:

	* +PYTHON_FOO_SETUP_TYPE+, to define which Python build system is used
	by the package. The two supported values are +distutils+ and
	+setuptools+. If you don't know which one is used in your package,
	look at the +setup.py+ file in your package source code, and see
	whether it imports things from the +distutils+ module or the
	+setuptools+ module.

	A few additional variables, specific to the Python infrastructure, can
	optionally be defined, depending on the package's needs. Many of them
	are only useful in very specific cases, typical packages will
	therefore only use a few of them, or none.

	* +PYTHON_FOO_ENV+, to specify additional environment variables to
	pass to the Python +setup.py+ script (for both the build and install
	steps). Note that the infrastructure is automatically passing
	several standard variables, defined in +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_ENV+
	(for distutils target packages), +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_ENV+
	(for distutils host packages), +PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV+ (for
	setuptools target packages) and +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV+
	(for setuptools host packages).

	* +PYTHON_FOO_BUILD_OPTS+, to specify additional options to pass to the
	Python +setup.py+ script during the build step. For target distutils
	packages, the +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_BUILD_OPTS+ options are already
	passed automatically by the infrastructure.

	* +PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS+, +PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS+,
	+HOST_PYTHON_FOO_INSTALL_OPTS+ to specify additional options to pass
	to the Python +setup.py+ script during the target installation step,
	the staging installation step or the host installation,
	respectively. Note that the infrastructure is automatically passing
	some options, defined in +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS+
	or +PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS+ (for target distutils
	packages), +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_DISTUTILS_INSTALL_OPTS+ (for host
	distutils packages), +PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS+ or
	+PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS+ (for target setuptools
	packages) and +HOST_PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_INSTALL_OPTS+ (for host
	setuptools packages).

	* +HOST_PYTHON_FOO_NEEDS_HOST_PYTHON+, to define the host python
	interpreter. The usage of this variable is limited to host
	packages. The two supported value are +python2+ and +python3+. It
	will ensure the right host python package is available and will
	invoke it for the build. If some build steps are overloaded, the
	right python interpreter must be explicitly called in the commands.

	With the Python infrastructure, all the steps required to build and
	install the packages are already defined, and they generally work well
	for most Python-based packages. However, when required, it is still
	possible to customize what is done in any particular step:

	* By adding a post-operation hook (after extract, patch, configure,
	build or install). See xref:hooks[] for details.

	* By overriding one of the steps. For example, even if the Python
	infrastructure is used, if the package +.mk+ file defines its own
	+PYTHON_FOO_BUILD_CMDS+ variable, it will be used instead of the
	default Python one. However, using this method should be restricted
	to very specific cases. Do not use it in the general case.

	[[scanpypi]]

	==== Generating a +python-package+ from a PyPI repository

	If the Python package for which you would like to create a Buildroot
	package is available on PyPI, you may want to use the +scanpypi+ tool
	located in +support/scripts+ to automate the process.

	You can find the list of existing PyPI packages
	https://pypi.python.org[here].

	+scanpypi+ requires Python's +setuptools+ package to be installed on
	your host.

	When at the root of your buildroot directory just do :

	-----------------------
	./support/script/scanpypi foo bar -o package
	-----------------------

	This will generate packages +python-foo+ and +python-bar+ in the package
	folder if they exist on https://pypi.python.org.

	Find the +external python modules+ menu and insert your package inside.
	Keep in mind that the items inside a menu should be in alphabetical order.

	Please keep in mind that you'll most likely have to manually check the
	package for any mistakes as there are things that cannot be guessed by
	the generator (e.g. dependencies on any of the python core modules
	such as BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_ZLIB). Also, please take note that the
	license and license files are guessed and must be checked. You also
	need to manually add the package to the +package/Config.in+ file.

	If your Buildroot package is not in the official Buildroot tree but in
	a +BR2_EXTERNAL+ tree, use the -o flag as follows:

	-----------------------
	./support/script/scanpypi foo bar -o other_package_dir
	-----------------------

	This will generate packages +python-foo+ and +python-bar+ in the
	+other_package_directory+ instead of +package+.

	Option +-h+ will list the available options:

	-----------------------
	./support/script/scanpypi -h
	-----------------------

	[[python-package-cffi-backend]]

	==== +python-package+ CFFI backend

	C Foreign Function Interface for Python (CFFI) provides a convenient
	and reliable way to call compiled C code from Python using interface
	declarations written in C. Python packages relying on this backend can
	be identified by the appearance of a +cffi+ dependency in the
	+install_requires+ field of their +setup.py+ file.

	Such a package should:

	* add +python-cffi+ as a runtime dependency in order to install the
	compiled C library wrapper on the target. This is achieved by adding
	+select BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_CFFI+ to the package +Config.in+.

	------------------------
	config BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_FOO
	bool "python-foo"
	select BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_CFFI # runtime
	------------------------

	* add +host-python-cffi+ as a build-time dependency in order to
	cross-compile the C wrapper. This is achieved by adding
	+host-python-cffi+ to the +PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES+ variable.

	------------------------
	################################################################################
	#
	# python-foo
	#
	################################################################################

	...

	PYTHON_FOO_DEPENDENCIES = host-python-cffi

	$(eval $(python-package))
	------------------------