Promote how to install dependencies

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Assessment

Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Newbie friendliness
25/100
Issue type
Documentation
Clarity
Needs clarification
Activity status
Stale
Tech stack
python
Domain
documentation

Research direction

Start by reading the prior discussion and PR #1337, then inspect the Devguide’s current Install dependencies and configure/build sections. Resolve whether the dependency instructions should be promoted and document the agreed ordering; completion requires a decided layout and updated documentation.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Description

type-bug

Prior discussion:

  • #1337

I opened PR #1337 since I was puzzled that we tell people how to configure and build CPython before we tell them how to install third party dependencies for extension modules like tkinter, sqlite3, and curses; in my mind, we should tell people how to install dependencies before we tell them how to configure and build CPython. I asked about this on Discord, and based on the responses, I created PR #1337. However, reordering these sections is controversial, so we need more discussion.

Arguments for keeping the current layout:

  • historically, most extension modules were considered optional; for most uses this is also the case, so a simple process (configure, build) is better than a complex process (install deps, configure, build)

Arguments for reordering the layout:

  • from time to time, we topics are opened on Discord and bug-reports are opened on the CPython repo where people complain that their CPython build "failed" because dependencies for some extension modules were not found; often, the answer to these reports is to point them to Install dependencies in the Devguide
  • many people do not view the extension modules of the stdlib as optional; they expect the stdlib to be "complete" when they build CPython locally
  • more advanced developers/users may expect a layout where dependencies are installed before one configure and build CPython
Dominant language
Python
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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First steps

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  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

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