Entrypoints

Common errors

• AttributeError: 'EntryPoints' object has no attribute 'get'

  cause This error typically occurs when using an older API for accessing entry points (like `get()`) on an `EntryPoints` object, which has changed its interface in `importlib-metadata` versions 5.0 and higher. The `entrypoints` library itself is in maintenance mode and newer Python versions often implicitly use `importlib.metadata`.
  fix Pin your `importlib-metadata` package to version 4.13.0 or earlier (`pip install 'importlib-metadata<5'`). Alternatively, if using `importlib.metadata` directly, adopt the modern `select()` method to retrieve entry points by group or name, rather than dictionary-like access.

• ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'your_package_name' (when running a console_script)

  cause This usually happens when a console script defined in `pyproject.toml` or `setup.py` (which internally uses entry points) cannot find the module it's supposed to execute. This can be due to incorrect package structure, missing `__init__.py` files, or the package not being properly installed in the environment where the script is run.
  fix Ensure your package has `__init__.py` files in all its directories to be recognized as a package. Verify the module path specified in your `console_scripts` entry point (e.g., `my_script=my_package.module:function`) is correct and that the package is installed in the active Python environment (use `pip install -e .` for development installs).

• DeprecationWarning: SelectableGroups dict interface is deprecated. Use select().

  cause This warning indicates that code is using a dictionary-like interface on the `EntryPoints` object, which is being phased out in `importlib.metadata` (and thus affects `entrypoints` usage as well). While currently a warning, it will become an `AttributeError` in future versions.
  fix Refactor your code to use the `select()` method on the `EntryPoints` object to filter by group or name. For example, instead of `entry_points()['my_group']`, use `entry_points(group='my_group')` or `entry_points().select(group='my_group')`.

Warnings

• breaking The `entrypoints` package is in maintenance-only mode. New code should use `importlib.metadata` (part of the Python standard library since 3.8, non-provisional since 3.10) for discovering and loading entry points. For Python versions older than 3.8, consider using the `importlib_metadata` backport.
  Fix: Migrate to `importlib.metadata` for new implementations: `from importlib.metadata import entry_points` (or `from importlib_metadata import entry_points` for older Python).
• gotcha When multiple versions of the same distribution are present in different directories on `sys.path`, `entrypoints` follows a 'first one wins' rule. This typically aligns with Python's import logic, but can lead to unexpected behavior if specific versions are expected.
  Fix: Ensure a clean and controlled Python environment, ideally using virtual environments, where only the desired version of a package is available. Rely on `pip` to manage package installations to avoid multiple `.dist-info` or `.egg-info` directories for the same package.
• gotcha `entrypoints` relies on `pip` (or similar tools) to ensure only one `.dist-info` or `.egg-info` directory exists for each installed package. If this assumption is violated, there's no reliable way to pick the correct metadata, which can lead to incorrect entry point resolution.
  Fix: Always use standard package managers like `pip` for installation. Avoid manual manipulation of `site-packages` or `dist-info`/`egg-info` directories. If issues arise, a clean reinstallation in a fresh virtual environment is recommended.

Install

• pip install entrypoints Install with pip

Imports

• get_group_all

  from entrypoints import get_group_all

• get_group_named

  from entrypoints import get_group_named

• EntryPoint

  from entrypoints import EntryPoint

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to find and load entry points, specifically 'console_scripts'. It iterates through found entry points, prints their details, and attempts to load the associated Python object.

from entrypoints import get_group_all

# Example: Find all 'console_scripts' entry points
console_scripts = get_group_all('console_scripts')

print(f"Found {len(console_scripts)} console scripts:")
for ep in console_scripts:
    print(f"  - {ep.name}: {ep.module}.{ep.attr}")
    try:
        # Load the entry point (e.g., a function)
        loaded_object = ep.load()
        # You can then call the loaded_object if it's a function
        # print(f"    Loaded object: {loaded_object}")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"    Could not load {ep.name}: {e}")