- ...

Comparison

Solutions and platforms/features supported:

Solution Windows Linux OS X Python 3 Licence One-file mode Zipfile import Eggs pkg_resources support

bbFreeze yes yes yes no MIT no yes yes yes

py2exe yes no no no MIT yes yes no no

pyInstaller yes yes yes no GPL yes no yes no

cx_Freeze yes yes yes yes PSF no yes yes no

.. todo:: Add other solutions: py2app

.. note::

Freezing Python code on Linux into a Windows executable was only once

supported in PyInstaller, `but later dropped

<http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2950971/cross-compiling-a-python-script-on-linux-into-a-windows-executable#comment11890276_2951046>`_.

.. note::

All solutions need MS Visual C++ dll to be installed on target machine.

Only Pyinstaller makes self-executable exe that bundles the dll when

passing ``--onefile`` to `Configure.py`.

bbFreeze

Prerequisite is to install :ref:`Python, Distribute and pywin32 dependency on Windows <install-windows>`.

.. todo:: Write steps for most basic .exe

Prerequisite is to install :ref:`Python on Windows <install-windows>`.

1. Download and install http://sourceforge.net/projects/py2exe/files/py2exe/

2. Write setup.py (`List of configuration options <http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/ListOfOptions>`_)::

3. (Optionally) `include icon <http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/CustomIcons>`_

4. (Optionally) `one-file mode <http://stackoverflow.com/questions/112698/py2exe-generate-single-executable-file#113014>`_

5. Generate `.exe` into `dist` directory::

6. Provide the Microsoft Visual C runtime DLL. Two options: `globally install dll on target machine <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29>`_ or `distribute dll aloneside with .exe <http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/Tutorial#Step52>`_.

Prerequisite is to have installed :ref:`Python, Distribute and pywin32 dependency on Windows <install-windows>`.

- `Most basic tutorial <http://bojan-komazec.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-create-windows-executable-from.html>`_

- `Manual <http://www.pyinstaller.org/export/d3398dd79b68901ae1edd761f3fe0f4ff19cfb1a/project/doc/Manual.html?format=raw>`_

OSX

py2app

PyInstaller