Top level tests directory about python-packaging

[merwok]

Side-by-side with the code only works if you are not using an src directory to isolate your package source (see https://blog.ganssle.io/articles/2019/08/test-as-installed.html)

Top-level tests is common. Depending on your build tool (setuptools or flit or poetry or other), you may need configuration to make sure that the tests are present in sdists, but not installed.

[kousu]

Side-by-side with the code only works if you are not using an src directory to isolate your package source (see https://blog.ganssle.io/articles/2019/08/test-as-installed.html)

Now I'm veering off-topic, but I wish there wasn't a distinction between installed/not installed. It isn't necessary in Javascript or Scheme or lots of other languages. I've been thinking about it and I think the reason comes down to the rule that submodules locate themselves -- and relative imports -- by __name__, splitting on "."s instead of by __file__, splitting on "/"s or better yet following "..". Can you think of any other reason?

Depending on your build tool (setuptools or flit or poetry or other), you may need configuration to make sure that the tests are present in sdists, but not installed.

Just to spread this knowledge around since it's going to get buried, PyPA now seems to be advocating either

echo include tests/*.py >> MANIFEST.in

or using https://pypi.org/project/setuptools-scm/. But that seems weird to me; the manifest seems fine.