A dependency declaration with loose version constraints (e.g., numpy>=1.20) as found in pyproject.toml, maximizing compatibility with
other packages.
Artifact
A file produced by the build process, typically a source distribution
(.tar.gz) or a wheel (.whl).
Build Backend
The tool that converts source code into installable artifacts (e.g.,
hatchling, meson-python, setuptools, uv_build).
Build Frontend
The tool that invokes the build backend (e.g., uv build, pip wheel, python -m build).
cibuildwheel
A tool that builds binary wheels for multiple platforms using CI
services such as GitHub Actions.
Concrete Dependency
An exact, pinned version of a package (e.g., numpy==2.1.0) as recorded in a lockfile,
ensuring reproducibility.
conda-forge
A community-maintained channel of conda
packages providing both Python libraries and system-level binaries.
Constraint Satisfaction
The process a package manager uses to find a set of dependency versions
that simultaneously satisfy all requirements without conflicts.
Continuous Integration (CI)
The practice of automatically running tests and checks on every code
push, typically using a service like GitHub Actions.
Dependency Group
A named set of dependencies in pyproject.toml (e.g., dev, docs) that
can be installed selectively. Defined by PEP 735.
Editable Install
An installation mode (uv pip install -e .)
where changes to source code are immediately reflected without
reinstalling.
F2PY
A tool (part of NumPy) that generates Python bindings for Fortran
subroutines, producing C wrapper code and shared objects.
GitHub Actions
A CI/CD platform integrated into GitHub that runs workflows defined in
YAML files on push, pull request, or other events.
Inline Script Metadata
A PEP 723 feature that embeds dependency declarations directly in a
Python script using a special comment block (# /// script).
Lockfile
A file (e.g., uv.lock) that pins the exact
versions of all direct and transitive dependencies for reproducibility.
Manylinux
A standard that defines a minimal set of Linux system libraries a binary
wheel may depend on, ensuring broad compatibility across distributions.
Matrix Strategy
A CI configuration that runs the same job across multiple combinations
of parameters (e.g., Python versions and operating systems).
Meson
A build system used for compiling C, C++, and Fortran code into shared
libraries. Used by NumPy and SciPy.
meson-python
A PEP 517 build backend that integrates the Meson build system with
Python packaging, enabling compiled extensions in wheels.
Module
A single .py file that can be imported.
News Fragment
A small text file (e.g., news/42.feature)
used by towncrier to record a single
changelog entry, avoiding merge conflicts.
OIDC (Trusted Publishing)
An authentication method allowing GitHub Actions to publish to PyPI
without storing API tokens, using OpenID Connect identity verification.
Package
A directory containing an __init__.py file
(and usually other modules), making it importable as a unit.
PEP
Python Enhancement Proposal. A design document that describes a new
feature or standard for Python. Key PEPs in this lesson: 518, 517, 621,
668, 723, 735, 751.
pixi
A cross-platform package manager for managing system dependencies and
task automation via conda-forge.
Pixibang
A shebang line (#!/usr/bin/env -S pixi exec ... -- uv run) that
chains pixi and uv to provide both system binaries and Python
packages for a single script.
prek
A Rust rewrite of the pre-commit tool for
running git hooks that enforce code quality checks before commits.
Pre-commit Hook
A git hook that runs automated checks (linting, formatting) before a
commit is finalized, preventing bad code from entering the repository.
pyproject.toml
The standard configuration file for Python projects (PEP 621), replacing
setup.py and setup.cfg.
PyPI
The Python Package Index, the default repository for Python packages.
pytest
A testing framework for Python that discovers and runs test functions,
providing detailed failure reports.
ruff
An extremely fast Python linter and formatter written in Rust, replacing
flake8, black, and isort.
Shadowing
When a local file has the same name as a standard library module (e.g.,
math.py), causing Python to import the
local file instead.
Shared Object
A compiled binary (.so on Linux, .dylib on macOS, .dll on Windows) that Python can load as an
extension module.
Shebang
The first line of a script (starting with #!) that tells the operating system which
interpreter to use to execute the file.
Source Distribution (sdist)
A compressed archive of the source code (.tar.gz) that requires a build step before
installation.
Sphinx
The standard documentation generator for Python projects, converting
reStructuredText or Markdown into HTML, PDF, or other formats.
src Layout
A project structure where the package source lives under a src/ directory, preventing accidental imports
from the project root.
sys.path
The list of directories Python searches when resolving import statements.
Test PyPI
A separate instance of PyPI (test.pypi.org) used for testing package uploads
without affecting the production index.
towncrier
A tool for managing changelogs using per-change fragment files to avoid
merge conflicts.
Transitive Dependency
A package that is not directly required by your project but is pulled in
as a dependency of one of your direct dependencies.
uv
A fast Python package installer and project manager from Astral, written
in Rust.
uvx
A tool runner from uv that fetches and
executes a command-line tool in an ephemeral environment without
permanent installation.
Virtual Environment
An isolated Python environment with its own site-packages directory, preventing dependency
conflicts between projects.
Wheel
A binary distribution format (.whl) that
can be installed without a build step. It is essentially a ZIP archive
with a standardized layout.
Key Commands
uv Commands
Command
Description
uv init --lib
Create a new library project with src layout
uv add <package>
Add a runtime dependency
uv add --dev <package>
Add a development dependency
uv add --group docs <pkg>
Add a dependency to a named group
uv sync --dev
Install all dependencies including dev
uv run <command>
Run a command in the project environment
uv build
Build sdist and wheel into dist/
uv pip install -e .
Install the project in editable mode
uv python install 3.12
Install a specific Python version
uvx twine upload dist/*
Upload artifacts to PyPI
uvx <tool>
Run a tool in an ephemeral environment
pixi Commands
Command
Description
pixi init
Initialize a new pixi project
pixi add <package>
Add a conda dependency
pixi run <task>
Run a defined task
pixi exec --spec <pkg> -- <cmd>
Run a command with a package available
ruff Commands
Command
Description
ruff check .
Lint the current directory
ruff check --fix .
Lint and auto-fix issues
ruff format .
Format code according to style rules
ruff format --check .
Check formatting without modifying files
pytest Commands
Command
Description
pytest
Run all tests in the tests/ directory
pytest --cov=src
Run tests with code coverage reporting
pytest -v
Run tests with verbose output
pytest tests/test_file.py
Run tests from a specific file
towncrier Commands
Command
Description
towncrier create <num>.<type>
Create a changelog fragment (e.g., 1.feature, 2.bugfix)
