SMART Editable Install Guide: Setup.py & More

Hey guys! 👋 First off, a massive thank you for checking out the paper and project! It’s awesome to see so much interest in it. Someone spotted a potential snag with the installation instructions, and we're here to clear it up. Let's dive into how to get SMART up and running in editable mode like a pro.

The Editable Mode Installation Challenge

So, here's the deal: The README currently suggests using the command pip install -e '.[dev]' to install SMART in editable mode. Now, this command is super handy because it lets you tweak the code and see the changes in real-time without having to reinstall the package every single time. It's a game-changer for development! However, this command relies on the presence of either a setup.py or a pyproject.toml file in the repository. These files are like the blueprints for your project; they tell pip how to install it, what dependencies it needs, and all that jazz. The eagle-eyed among you might have noticed that these files weren't initially included in the repository. Oops! 😅

Why are setup.py or pyproject.toml important?

Think of these files as the conductor of an orchestra. The orchestra is your project, with all its different components (modules, scripts, data files), and the conductor ensures everyone plays their part in harmony. In the Python world, pip is the main tool we use to install packages, and it looks for either setup.py or pyproject.toml to figure out what to do. Without one of these files, pip is essentially standing in front of the orchestra without a score, unsure of how to proceed. The setup.py file has been the traditional way of defining Python package metadata and installation instructions for a long time. It's a Python script that, when executed, tells pip everything it needs to know. It typically includes the package name, version, dependencies, and other important details. On the other hand, pyproject.toml is a newer standard that aims to provide a more declarative and standardized way of specifying project metadata. It uses the TOML (Tom's Obvious, Minimal Language) format, which is designed to be easy to read and write. The move towards pyproject.toml is part of a broader effort to improve Python packaging and make it more robust and user-friendly. Both files serve the same fundamental purpose, but pyproject.toml is generally considered the modern approach and offers some advantages in terms of clarity and flexibility. When you run pip install -e ., pip looks for these files in the current directory (.) to understand how to install your project in editable mode. Editable mode, specified by the -e flag, creates links from your Python environment to the project's source code. This means that any changes you make to the code are immediately reflected when you run the installed package, which is incredibly useful for development and debugging. Without these essential files, the pip install -e . command will fail, leaving you unable to install your project in editable mode. So, including either a setup.py or a pyproject.toml file is crucial for enabling this functionality and ensuring a smooth installation process for developers.

Addressing the Missing File Situation

Not having these files is like trying to bake a cake without a recipe – tricky, right? We recognized this hiccup, and the team has been on it! The good news is that we've addressed this issue by adding the necessary files to the repository. You should now find either a setup.py or a pyproject.toml file (or both!) in the project's root directory. This means that the pip install -e '.[dev]' command should now work like a charm. If you're still facing issues, make sure you've pulled the latest changes from the repository. A quick git pull in your local clone should do the trick. This will ensure you have the most up-to-date version of the project, including the crucial setup files.

The Importance of a requirements.txt File

Now, let's chat about another super important file in the Python ecosystem: requirements.txt. This file is like a shopping list for your project's dependencies. It lists all the external libraries and packages that your project needs to run smoothly. Think of it as a detailed inventory of everything your project relies on, from scientific computing libraries like NumPy and SciPy to web frameworks like Flask or Django. Having a requirements.txt file is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it ensures reproducibility. When you share your project with others or deploy it to a different environment, you want to make sure that it works exactly the same way as it does on your machine. The requirements.txt file guarantees this by specifying the exact versions of all the dependencies. This eliminates the dreaded