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WinPackIt - the quick and dirty Python packager for Windows.

WinPackIt is the winpackit.py module, a Python script with no external dependency required. It will package your Python project into a stand-alone Windows distribution.

How does it work.

Python 3.5 introduced the embeddable package distribution on Windows: that is, an "almost complete" Python zipped in a single, non-installer file. While intended mainly for embedding purposes, the opposite is also possible: with some tinkering, one can make this package into a full-fledged self-contained Python environment ready to support a Python application.

Basically, that is what this script is for.

When you run WinPackIt,
  • it will download and unpack a Python embeddable package,
  • download and install Pip into it,
  • download and install any needed external dependency,
  • copy your project files,
  • optionally compile your file to .pyc,
  • leave a friendly install.bat file for the final user to run.
At this point, you may distribute the resulting "build" folder to the final users; all they have to do...
  • drop the folder anywhere on their Windows box,
  • open it and double-clic the install.bat file;
  • this in turn will produce Windows shortcut(s) to the entry-point(s) of your app to double-click, tailored for their machine.

Requirements.

You will need Python 3.6+ to run WinPackIt. No external dependency is required. On the target side, you can produce builds based on any Python 3.5+. You don't have to match your own Python with the target Python.

Linux/Mac users.

The WinPackIt script runs on Linux too, of course. Except, the build process needs to run the target Python a few times in order to install external packages and compile .pyc files - and that will be impossible on Linux. Then again, if you need no external packages nor compiling, it should work as a charm. See docs for more details.

Usage.

  • pip install winpackit in your virtual environment, or even pipx install winpackit if your really like WinPackIt and would love to have it always at hand;
  • run python -m winpackit my_runner.py;
  • this will produce a my_runner.py runner file for WinPackIt: open it and customize to your liking;
  • run python my_runner.py;
  • this will produce a "build" folder of your project, as specified in the runner file settings, ready to be distributed to the final user.

See the doc file for more details.