Fix Python – Where in a virtualenv does the custom code go?

Question 1

What sort of directory structure should one follow when using virtualenv? For instance, if I were building a WSGI application and created a virtualenv called foobar I would start with a directory structure like:

/foobar
  /bin
    {activate, activate.py, easy_install, python}
  /include
    {python2.6/...}
  /lib
    {python2.6/...}

Once this environment is created, where would one place their own:

python files?
static files (images/etc)?
“custom” packages, such as those available online but not found in the cheese-shop?

in relation to the virtualenv directories?

(Assume I already know where the virtualenv directories themselves should go.)

Question 2

virtualenv provides a python interpreter instance, not an application instance. You wouldn’t normally create your application files within the directories containing a system’s default Python, likewise there’s no requirement to locate your application within a virtualenv directory.

For example, you might have a project where you have multiple applications using the same virtualenv. Or, you may be testing an application with a virtualenv that will later be deployed with a system Python. Or, you may be packaging up a standalone app where it might make sense to have the virtualenv directory located somewhere within the app directory itself.

So, in general, I don’t think there is one right answer to the question. And, a good thing about virtualenv is that it supports many different use cases: there doesn’t need to be one right way.

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