--format sdist --no-setup-py could be the default.

[dougransom]

Pretty much all modern python installations will have a PIP supporting PEP517. So wouldn't it make more sense in the next release to default to sdist for format with --no-setup-py as a default?

[takluyver]

I'm expecting that when I flip that switch, a bunch of people will show up to complain. In particular, I think many downstream packaging systems (Linux distros, Spack, etc.) are used to downloading a tarball and running python setup.py, and haven't necessarily been adapted to use PEP 517. In part, this depends on the maturity of tools like build and installer, which are designed to be used in this kind of scenario (as opposed to pip, which is designed for end users, so does a bunch of extra stuff which packagers prefer to turn off).

Have you already used --no-setup-py on any packages on PyPI? Have you got any pushback for it?

[dougransom]

I only use --no-setup-py. One project only myself and my business partner are known users; the other is natlink, which had no package till i made one with flit, so i think people are happy they can use PIP at all. https://gitter.im/dictation-toolbox/natlink

[dougransom]

maybe you could add a warning for a year.

[takluyver]

Flit 3.4 will have a --setup-py option, and a message saying that the default is going to change.

[takluyver]

Building sdists without setup.py is now the default behaviour.