Place for a direct_url.json parser

Packaging
1

As part of PEP 600 and PEP 610 a new file called direct_url.json is created in the distribution folder. There are use cases (see importlib-metadata#404) where users want to get information out of this file. I created a draft PR where @jaraco asked, if importlib-metadata is the right place for this? Another possible place is packaging or maybe a completely new library?

So I open this topic to answer:

  1. does a parser make sense and helps users?
  2. where is the right place for this?
2

What more is needed here beyond parsing the JSON contents of the file and taking data out of it?

3

nothing else I guess. Of course it’s possible to code it manually, but since it is a PEP-defined format, an “official parser” would be nice. In addition, the location can depend on the system, therefore another argument for a library to handle it

4

If this gets implemented, please note also PEP-710 which is in a draft state as of today.

A nice API (a simple function) that would immediately get information about a package could be nice. Without a need to repeat the *.dist-info path creation + related checks and transparently wrap what PEPs define for people who are not familiar with them.