Motivation

Data scientists and analysts often need to share their Python applications with non-technical users who don’t have Python installed. Distributing Python scripts that require installing Python, managing dependencies, and setting up environments creates barriers for end-users.

Example:

# Instructions for end users:
# 1. Install Python 3.8+
# 2. Create virtual environment
# 3. Install requirements:
pip install pandas numpy scikit-learn matplotlib

# 4. Run the script:
python simple_df.py

# This process is complex for non-technical users

Introduction to PyInstaller

PyInstaller is a tool that bundles a Python application and all its dependencies into a single package or executable file. This allows end-users to run the application without installing Python or any additional dependencies.

Installation:

pip install pyinstaller

Creating Standalone Executables

PyInstaller solves the distribution problem by:

• Analyzing your code to identify all required dependencies
• Collecting all necessary files including the Python interpreter
• Creating a single executable or folder that can run on the target platform

Here’s an example of using PyInstaller:

Create a simple script that prints a pandas DataFrame:

# simple_df.py
import pandas as pd

df = pd.DataFrame({
    'Name': ['John', 'Anna', 'Peter'],
    'Age': [28, 24, 35],
    'City': ['New York', 'Paris', 'London']
}
print("\nEmployee Information:")
print("===================")
print(df)

Create the executable:

# Basic usage
pyinstaller simple_df.py

# Create single file executable
pyinstaller --onefile simple_df.py

The executable will be created in the dist directory. Users can run it without installing Python:

# Windows
dist\simple_df.exe

# Linux/Mac
./dist/simple_df

Output:

Employee Information:
===================
    Name  Age     City
0   John   28  New York
1   Anna   24    Paris
2  Peter   35   London

Conclusion

PyInstaller makes it easy to distribute Python applications to non-technical users by creating standalone executables. This is particularly useful for data scientists who want to share their analysis tools with stakeholders who don’t have Python expertise.

Link to PyInstaller