:mod:`distutils` --- Building and installing Python modules
===========================================================

.. module:: distutils
   :synopsis: Support for building and installing Python modules into an
              existing Python installation.
.. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>


The :mod:`distutils` package provides support for building and installing
additional modules into a Python installation.  The new modules may be either
100%-pure Python, or may be extension modules written in C, or may be
collections of Python packages which include modules coded in both Python and C.

This package is discussed in two separate chapters:


.. seealso::

   :ref:`distutils-index`
      The manual for developers and packagers of Python modules.  This describes
      how to prepare :mod:`distutils`\ -based packages so that they may be
      easily installed into an existing Python installation.

   :ref:`install-index`
      An "administrators" manual which includes information on installing
      modules into an existing Python installation.  You do not need to be a
      Python programmer to read this manual.