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In setuptools, use MANIFEST.in to control files in a source distribution (sdist), use package_data or include_package_data to get package files into a wheel, and configure package discovery separately. These settings affect different stages, so build and inspect both archives before distributing them.

Which setting controls which files?

First decide which artifact needs the file. An sdist is a source archive used for building and development; it can include tests, documentation, and other build inputs. A wheel is intended for installation. A file appearing in the sdist does not, by itself, mean it will appear in the wheel.

Setting Main role How it selects files
MANIFEST.in Controls the sdist file list; can also contribute package data to a wheel when include_package_data is enabled. Ordered commands matching paths and directory trees relative to the project root.
package_data Selects package data for distributions, including wheel files. Explicit patterns for files inside packages; does not require a manifest or VCS plugin for the selection it specifies.
include_package_data Allows eligible package files selected through MANIFEST.in or a revision-control plugin to be included in a wheel. Uses the manifest or supported VCS-plugin file selection.
exclude_package_data Removes matching package files that might otherwise be included. Patterns for files to exclude.
Package discovery Determines which Python packages are included in the project. Automatic layout inference or explicit find configuration; it does not select every non-Python file.

Setuptools’ documented inclusion logic is different for each artifact. For a wheel, a file must not be excluded and must be selected by package_data, or selected through MANIFEST.in with include_package_data = true. For an sdist, selection by MANIFEST.in or package_data can include a file unless it is excluded. See the setuptools data files guide.

Use MANIFEST.in to shape the source distribution

Put a file named MANIFEST.in at the project root. Setuptools does not treat a file named simply MANIFEST as the supported manifest. Its commands select files relative to that root and are processed in order: a later command can change the result of an earlier one.

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For example, graft tests followed by global-exclude *.py[cod] adds the tests tree, then removes matching bytecode files from the selected list. Reversing the commands can produce a different result because the later graft may add files again.

Command family What it does
include / exclude Select or remove specified paths.
recursive-include / recursive-exclude Select or remove matching files under a directory.
global-include / global-exclude Select or remove matching patterns throughout the project tree.
graft / prune Add or remove a whole directory tree.

Setuptools already includes common project files and configured package/data files in an sdist. Add a manifest when defaults miss something or when you need finer control—for example, to include generated build inputs or omit CI files. The setuptools sdist guide describes manifest behavior. Where a project configures a revision-control plugin such as setuptools-scm, tracked files may provide another way to populate the sdist; that behavior is not a universal setuptools guarantee.

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Choose package data for files needed after installation

For files that application code must read after installation—such as templates, schemas, or data files—select package data explicitly or enable the appropriate inclusion route. Keep such files inside the package when they are runtime resources rather than general source-build inputs.

  • package_data names package-relative file patterns directly and is useful when you want selection to be explicit.
  • include_package_data lets files selected through MANIFEST.in or an appropriate revision-control plugin flow into a wheel.
  • exclude_package_data removes matching package files even if another inclusion mechanism would select them.

Defaults depend on configuration format and setuptools version. In pyproject.toml, include-package-data defaults to true in setuptools 61.0.0 and later; in setup.cfg and setup.py, the documented default remains false for backwards compatibility. Setuptools 69.0.0 introduced default inclusion of in-package .pyi and py.typed files, described as experimental. Check the data files documentation against the setuptools version declared in your build requirements.

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Configure package discovery as a separate step

Package discovery decides which importable packages setuptools includes; it is not a substitute for selecting their non-Python data. Setuptools enables automatic discovery when neither packages nor py_modules is configured explicitly. The package discovery guide explains supported flat and src layouts and how to adjust discovery.

With pyproject.toml, use [tool.setuptools.packages.find] to set options such as where, include, exclude, and namespace-package behavior. Implicit namespace scanning is enabled by default in this configuration. If you explicitly set packages or py_modules, automatic discovery is disabled, so ensure the explicit package list or find configuration includes the intended modules.

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Build and inspect both artifacts

  1. Identify the destination. Decide whether each file belongs in the source archive, the installed wheel, or both.
  2. Check discovery. Confirm setuptools is including the package that should contain the runtime file.
  3. Select files with the matching mechanism. Use a manifest for sdist contents, package-data configuration for runtime files, and include_package_data when manifest- or VCS-selected package files should also enter the wheel.
  4. Build the sdist and wheel. Build both distribution formats from the project using your chosen build setup; configuration alone is not proof of their final contents.
  5. Inspect each archive. Check the sdist for source/build inputs and the wheel for files required at installation. The wheel’s RECORD lists its files and is useful for confirming its contents.

The Python Packaging User Guide’s package-formats explanation describes a wheel as containing the files needed to install the package. That is a description of the format, not a guarantee that a particular project selected all the files it needs. The standardized sdist layout also has required metadata files; consult the packaging guide and the source distribution format specification when validating archive structure. When license-files patterns are configured, the pyproject.toml specification requires matching files in all distribution archives and their listing in Core Metadata.

Scope: these rules are for setuptools

The settings and defaults above describe setuptools, whose documentation identifies version 84.0.0. The Python Packaging User Guide is a living resource, and setuptools behavior can vary by version. Do not assume that another build backend supports MANIFEST.in or implements similarly named options the same way; check that backend’s documentation.

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