Difference between setup.py install and setup.py develop

Question

I am trying to improve my workflow when developing python modules and have a rather basic question.

What exactly happens when choosing either option. To my knowledge develop leaves the files in place so I can modify them and play around with the package whereas install copies them in the site-packages folder of my python installation. How is the package linked to my python installation when using the develop option.

Answer 1

develop creates an .egg-link file in the site-packages directory, which points back to the location of the project files. The same path is also added to the easy-install.pth file in the same location. Uninstalling with setup.py develop -u removes that link file again.

Do note that any install_requires dependencies not yet present are also installed, as regular eggs (they are easy_install-ed). Those dependencies are not uninstalled when uninstalling the development egg.