Adding packages to Python “embedded” installation for Windows

Question

From the documentation:

The embedded distribution is a ZIP file containing a minimal Python environment.

Sounds great! The 64-bit

Answer 1

There is a way to extend Python embedded installation. I managed to create Flask-ready package, that I can just unzip on target machine and run code. The trick is to install EXACT same python version (normal full blown python) as your target embedded small python. Not only version but x86, x64 has to match as well.

Then install modules from pip on normal python, go to NormalPython\Lib\site-packages and copy all new files that appear after installing to EmbeddedPython\Lib finally add Lib to pythonXX._pth inside Embedded python folder.

It's extremely important to fully test your application in case you miss some package. Also this would not work for packages that also add .exe to Scripts folder. You could still probably copy the exe's to Script folder and add it to path which could do the trick.

Answer 2

There is a way to extend Python embedded installation. The trick is to install the same python version( I will call it NormalPython) as your target embedded python(I will call it EmbeddedPython). The version as well as architecture has to match exactly.

You then install modules from pip on NormalPython. You can find pip on NormalPython\Scripts.

Go to NormalPython\Lib\site-packages and copy all files that appear after installing whatever you want to install through pip to EmbeddedPython\Lib\

Then add Lib to pythonXX._pth inside Embedded python folder.

This worked for me on windows 10 after downloading the latest python embed and python install through https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/ . I used Michal Rawluk's answer to do it, but it was somewhat hard to understand so I am trying to explain it a bit differently.