How to create a reusable Django app and distribute it with PIP or publish to pypi.org

Overview

This article is an overview of the basic process to help to create a general purpose Django app and use it with PIP.

1. Code

Create the app with /original-project$ python manage.py startapp my_new_app in an existing project, then move it to a new directory separated from the project lik /django-new-app.

More at https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/3.2/intro/reusable-apps/

Add tests as a new app in django-new-app.

So we have:

original-project/
django-new-app/
	- my-new-app
	- tests

Examples

Have a look at a popular Django apps to see how they structure the project, like:

• django-allauth: https://github.com/pennersr/django-allauth
• django-oscar: https://github.com/django-oscar/django-oscar
  • usage of requirements of another apps
• django-filter: https://github.com/carltongibson/django-filter

2. Package

To use it in original-project, we need to package the application (building a source distribution[^source-dist] for your package) with setup.py: https://setuptools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/userguide/quickstart.html

After you are able to create the package with ``python3.8 setup.py sdistyou will have a compressed file (**Built Distribution**[^built-dist]) indjango-new-app/dist`

https://packaging.python.org/glossary/#term-Built-Distribution To include non module files, create a MANIFEST.in file. ¹

Here is a basic sample package for pypi.org: https://github.com/pypa/sampleproject/

Handle dependencies

• Managing Application Dependencies with Pipenv https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/managing-dependencies/
• Other alternatives for packaging and handling dependencies is poetry

3. Use it

In our original-project now we can use it with python -m pip install /django-new-app/ or add --user if you are not already using a virtual environment.

4. Publish to pypi.org (Optional)

Guides:

• https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/packaging-projects/
• “to create the package, how to build the package, and how to upload it to the Python Package Index”: https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/packaging-projects/

References

• https://packaging.python.org/overview/