Buildout
The facts below are what the maker publishes about Buildout, checked and dated. Our editors have not written about it yet.
The facts
Each one read from Buildout's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Caching
- Buildout supports a download cache to reuse downloaded distributions and files fetched by recipes.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Configuration
- Buildout configurations can extend other configuration files, with later or local options overriding earlier ones.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Dependency management
- Buildout installs specified Python distributions with their dependencies and can pin dependency versions in configuration.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Dependency versions
- Users can pin requirement versions in configuration, and Buildout can maintain a versions file for selected versions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Design principles
- Buildout is based on repeatability, componentization, and automation.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Development through deployment
- The documentation describes Buildout as applicable from software development through production deployment.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Environment considerations
- The guide recommends a virtual environment or clean Python installation because packages in a shared Python installation can cause unexpected errors.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- The documentation says recipes can automate tasks such as installing non-Python software from source or running JavaScript builders.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Generated outputs
- Buildout can generate executable scripts and configuration files based on part options and substitutions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The recommended installation method is pip inside a virtual environment, using `pip install zc.buildout`.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Isolation
- The documentation recommends using a virtual environment or clean Python installation to reduce interference from packages in a shared Python environment.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Non-Python tasks
- Recipes can run tools such as configure and make to install non-Python software from source, or automate other tasks with Python.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Buildout automates software assembly, including running build tools and applying software and templates to generate configuration files and scripts.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Python development
- Buildout supports Python development projects by creating editable development eggs from project directories or setup.py paths.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Recipe framework
- Recipes extend Buildout with reusable Python modules for tasks such as installing distributions and creating configuration files.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Recipes
- Buildout recipes implement parts and can install or update software components; the documentation says there are hundreds of recipes to choose from.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Repeatability
- Buildout aims for the same configuration to produce the same result when built in the same environment, regardless of build history.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security-related mode
- Buildout's install-from-cache mode is intended to make builds without network requests, provided recipes follow the mode's requirements and a download cache is configured.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support and community
- The project site links to a GitHub issue tracker and repository, and invites contributors to discuss ideas and submit pull requests through its development group.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Use across lifecycle
- The documentation says Buildout can be used in software phases from development through production deployment.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Version control
- The getting-started guide says the example project needs only its buildout.cfg file checked into version control; other files are generated.checked 9 Oct 2026
- What it builds
- It runs build tools and applies software and templates to generate configuration files and scripts.checked 9 Oct 2026
