include

include#

📂 djenv/include — what is it?#

include/ contains C header files for Python and native extensions.

It exists so that Python packages written in C/C++ can be compiled and linked correctly.

Simple explanation

Most Python packages are pure Python → they don’t need include.

Some packages are partly written in C → they need:

  • Python header files

  • System headers

Those headers live in djenv/include.

What you typically find inside include/#

Structure looks like:

djenv/include/
└── python3.x/
    ├── Python.h
    ├── object.h
    ├── unicodeobject.h
    └── ...
These files define:

  • Python objects

  • Memory management

  • C-API interfaces

When is include/ actually used?#

You will only “use” include/ indirectly when:

  • Installing packages like:

  • psycopg2

  • numpy

  • pandas

  • lxml

  • cryptography

During installation:

pip install psycopg2

pip may compile C code and link against headers from:

djenv/include/

Do Django projects use include/ directly?

No.

  • Django itself is pure Python

  • You never import from include

  • You never edit files here

Django just benefits indirectly if a dependency uses C.

What NOT to do

  • Don’t open or edit files here

  • Don’t import anything from include

  • Don’t delete individual files

  • Don’t commit this folder to Git

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