8. Command Reference — Python 3.11.15 documentation
Description: Installing modules: the install command family: The install command ensures that the build commands have been run and then runs the subcommands install_lib, install_data and install_scripts. instal...

# 8. Command Reference

Note

This document is being retained solely until the `setuptools` documentation at https://setuptools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/setuptools.html independently covers all of the relevant information currently included here.

## 8.1. Installing modules: the install command family

The install command ensures that the build commands have been run and then runs the subcommands install_lib, install_data and install_scripts.

### 8.1.1. install_data

This command installs all data files provided with the distribution.

### 8.1.2. install_scripts

This command installs all (Python) scripts in the distribution.

## 8.2. Creating a source distribution: the sdist command

The manifest template commands are:

Command | Description
--- | ---
include pat1 pat2 ... | include all files matching any of the listed patterns
exclude pat1 pat2 ... | exclude all files matching any of the listed patterns
recursive-include dir pat1 pat2 ... | include all files under dir matching any of the listed patterns
recursive-exclude dir pat1 pat2 ... | exclude all files under dir matching any of the listed patterns
global-include pat1 pat2 ... | include all files anywhere in the source tree matching — & any of the listed patterns
global-exclude pat1 pat2 ... | exclude all files anywhere in the source tree matching — & any of the listed patterns
prune dir | exclude all files under dir
graft dir | include all files under dir

The patterns here are Unix-style “glob” patterns: `*` matches any sequence of regular filename characters, `?` matches any single regular filename character, and `[range]` matches any of the characters in range (e.g., `a-z`, `a-zA-Z`, `a-f0-9_.`). The definition of “regular filename character” is platform-specific: on Unix it is anything except slash; on Windows anything except backslash or colon.