Modernize code infrastructure

[impervius]

The current code contains deprecated stuff (like python setup.py install, pythonbrew), and other non-deprecated but just "old", non optimal stuff (like unittest, Makefile).

The code could benefit from modernization:

1. Migrate setup.py to pyproject.toml
2. Use uv for python version management (and not pythonbrew which is not maintained)
3. Use uv for building and publishing.
4. Migrate from unittest to pytest
5. Remove the update_revision.pl script (unneeded perl dependency, assumes versions cannot exceed 9 for some reason, etc.)
6. Stop using flake8, black, isort, pylint in favor of (already used) ruff
7. Consider deprecating the Makefile

[jmcnamara]

Thanks for the effort here.

Could you say a bit more about why you want to make these changes.

[impervius]

Sure, if you have any additional specific question or concern please let me know.

1. Using setup.py the way the project currently does is deprecated (see [here] (https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/userguide/quickstart.html) under "Using setup.py"). pythonproject.toml is the standard and recommended way of declaring a python project.
2. pythonbrew is deprecated and not maintained. Also the current code is not portable as it assumes that it exists on some paths.
3. uv can replace these uses and can also be used as a build backend, and in order to publish to pypi (docs)
4. pytest is already used in the CI and is a better, cleaner and more flexible and maintained alternative to unittest.
5. The update_revision.pl adds an (implicit) unnecessary perl dependency to the project, and has strange logic (for example it does not follow semantic versioning, but rather it does "counting" and stopping at 9, and not allowing versions such as 1.2.11). It has better alternatives, such as uv version bump --minor (docs).
6. All the code formatting tools (ruff, black, flake8, pylint, isort) are with some intersection, and many of them can be dropped. I think that ruff (which is used in the current codebase) is a great tool that is fast, feature-rich and maintained, all other tools can be dropped in favor of it.
7. The Makefile is just a very strange manual automation tool in this project, I don't think I have seen any python project with such file. Many parts of it, if not all of it, can and should be replaced / merged into github actions / pre-commit hooks. This will allow a more portable, automatic workflows.

[jmcnamara]

My question was more about the you part. Why you want to make the changes?

[impervius]

Oh, I just use this module.

I came across this repo, wanted to contribute and saw these things that can be enhanced.

[jmcnamara]

Of the suggested changes I think number 1 is the most compelling: migrating setup.py to pyproject.toml. I will look into don't that.

Most of the other suggestions could be addressed by moving the Makefile and associated tooling out of the repo and then updating the CI to call the various formatters/linters.

The tooling is mostly only useful to me. At the same time no-one has ever complained about it or asked for it to be changed/removed. I'll take it under consideration.

[9en9i]

@jmcnamara Do you need help switching to pyproject? And what do you think about uv?

[jmcnamara]

Do you need help switching to pyproject?

I don't. Thanks.

And what do you think about uv?

I use it and I like it but I don't want to introduce it as a build system requirement.