Python - Installing packages programmatically

bootstrap_setup.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

from __future__ import print_function

REQUIREMENTS = [ 'distribute', 'version', 'Cython', 'sortedcollection' ]
try:
    from setuptools import find_packages
    from distutils.core import setup
    from Cython.Distutils import build_ext as cython_build
    import sortedcollection
except:
    import os, pip
    pip_args = [ '-vvv' ]
    proxy = os.environ['http_proxy']
    if proxy:
        pip_args.append('--proxy')
        pip_args.append(proxy)
    pip_args.append('install')
    for req in REQUIREMENTS:
        pip_args.append( req )
    print('Installing requirements: ' + str(REQUIREMENTS))
    pip.main(initial_args = pip_args)

    # do it again
    from setuptools import find_packages
    from distutils.core import setup
    from Cython.Distutils import build_ext as cython_build
    import sortedcollection

Installing packages programmatically in your setup.py :: In general, you don't need to do this, since function setup accepts a list of requirements as part of key install_requires. But, in certain circumstances, in particular if you are writing extensions to distutils, you may find useful to make sure that your setup.py has knowledge about everything it needs to install whatever requirements it may be necessary.