Clarify difference between "pypa/build" and "pip wheel"

[kasium]

What's the problem this feature will solve?

The packaging guide recommends to use build to create wheels. However, pip has an own command in place.

Describe the solution you'd like

Addition to the docs why a separate command is needed, the differences and the relation for the tools

Alternative Solutions

n/a

Additional context

n/a

Code of Conduct

• [X] I agree to follow the PSF Code of Conduct.

[pfmoore]

pip wheel builds (or downloads) wheels for a set of requirements, and also for all dependencies of those requirements. py -m build simply builds a wheel (and sdist) for the project in your current directory.

While we shouldn't be describing what build does in the pip documentation (as it won't track any changes in the functionality of build) if you feel that there's any wording that would have helped clarify that pip does more than just "build the current project" then a PR with suggested extra wording would be welcome. (It doesn't have to be perfect, we can iterate on a suggestion if needed).

[kasium]

I see. Let me try to create a PR. Thanks a lot

[pradyunsg]

Specifically, pip wheel is meant to create what some folks call a "wheelhouse". That's a bundle of wheels that you can use to install packages, by later pointing pip to it via --no-index --find-links <path>.