Standalone Python applications in Linux

Question

How can I distribute a standalone Python application in Linux?

I think I can take for granted the presence of a recent Python interpreter in any modern distribution.

Answer 1

Nope.

Python is notoriously flaky with respect to different setups. The only sane way to deploy a python app is to ship the whole bundle of interpreter and libraries that you are relying on with your code. That will most likely work.

Update 2019: I stand by this. Virtualenv is a way of packaging libraries and interpreters together. Tox is a testing tool to test that interpreter/dependency matrix. Docker is a widely used way of then deploying the bundle.