Add more helper libraries to the extension modules page

[ncoghlan]

Rather than creating multiple issues, I've expanded this one to include a checklist for popular extension module helpers that we don't currently mention:

• [ ] SIP is the C/C++ binding generator used for PyQT and wxWindows: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/SIP/
• [ ] PyCXX: http://cxx.sourceforge.net/PyCXX-Python3.html
• [ ] Boost::Python: http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_66_0/libs/python/doc/html/index.html

(We may not go into as much detail for these as we do the big three of SWIG, cffi, and Cython, but they're all worth mentioning, especially in combination with #359 to cover milksnake as a meta build system that works with current versions of pip)

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One of the neat features of sip specifically is that it can (does?) target the stable ABI in Python 3 at code generation time, with operations that require access to the full CPython API delegated to the runtime sip support module. As a result, it's possible to use it to ship version-independent CPython extension modules that just need the corresponding version of the sip runtime library, rather than having to recompile your own extensions for every new CPython release.

[theacodes]

The packaging binary extension page needs a lot of love right now: https://packaging.python.org/guides/packaging-binary-extensions/

I would love for someone to volunteer to write this as I do not really know anything about binary extensions. I will happy to help with layout, review, and editorial issues. They could even write it in Google Docs and I will transfer it to RST.

It likely needs to be split into multiple items, for example:

1. An overview of binary extensions.
2. Creating binary extensions using the CPython API.
3. Creating binary extensions using Cython.
4. Creating binary extensions using SIP. etc.

[theacodes]

@ncoghlan can you create a help wanted label for me?

[theacodes]

Thanks. :)

[pradyunsg]

Is anyone working on this right now?

If not, I think I can come around to writing this sometime in next month or two. :)

[theacodes]

Nope. Go for it.

On Fri, Aug 25, 2017, 12:13 AM Pradyun Gedam [email protected] wrote:

Is anyone working on this right now?

If not, I think I can come around to writing this sometime in next month or two. :)

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