How to recognise pure Python wheels? #130

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1. webknjaz commented on Jun 18, 2025

   

   webknjaz

   on Jun 18, 2025

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   Pure-python wheels have any platform tag in their name, while the ones with C-extensions have platform specifiers like cp39-cp39 and similar. They may sometimes have abi3. Older Pure-python projects may also have py2.py3.

   • https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/specifications/binary-distribution-format/#file-name-convention
   • https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/specifications/platform-compatibility-tags/

   There's also a Root-Is-Purelib: true metadata field inside WHEEL: https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/specifications/binary-distribution-format/#file-contents

   And, of course, wheels with C-extensions would have some .so / .dylib / .dll files inside (depending on the platform).