Typo in pip install -e instructions on contributing page

[andypbarrett]

It looks like there is a typo on the contributing page.

I think

pip install -e.

should be

pip install -e .

[JessicaS11]

Thanks, @andypbarrett! I can't remember where or when I learned it (and of course am not finding it documented anywhere), but the two are equivalent. I use pip install -e. all the time (yay for not having to type that extra character!). Have you encountered use cases where that doesn't work? If so, we should definitely update the docs. Otherwise, do you think it's worth a note that either works?

[weiji14]

I tried to add a space in 2ec4e6f, but Jessica said the same thing in #187 (comment) and reverted it back 😆

[andypbarrett]

Mmmm I just tried it again and pip install -e. worked. Weird! I thought spaces mattered in linux.

I suggest closing the issue because it is a red hering.

[andypbarrett]

Alternatively add that pip install -e. and pip install -e . both work. Now I want to understand why they both work.

[JessicaS11]

Alternatively add that pip install -e. and pip install -e . both work.

probably a good idea given it seems to be a recurring theme... 😆

Now I want to understand why they both work.

Curious to know if you figure it out. I think I learned it in a youtube video of a "how to make Python software" workshop that Lindsey Heagey recommended for me when we started icepyx. It was one of those narrative "you can do this without the space instead and it works" things. 🤷‍♀️