# Pip module editable flag

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/pip-module-editable-flag/21574>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [May 26, 2016, 8:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/pip-module-editable-flag/21574 "2016-05-26T08:24:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Darren\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Darren\_S](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Darren_S)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 8:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/pip-module-editable-flag/21574/1 "2016-05-26T08:24:26Z")

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Hi,

I'm very confused about the 'editable' parameter for the pip module  
[1]. It defaults to True and is described as "Pass the editable flag  
for versioning URLs." My best guess is that this corresponds to the  
--editable option for 'pip install' [2], however:

- The pip install --editable option effectively enables Setuptools'  
"develop mode" which links to module code instead of building and  
installing it - I'm not sure how that relates to the description of  
passing the editable flag for versioning URLs.  
- "Editable" installs are not the default for Pip's package  
installations, so a default enablement of this option in the Ansible  
pip module seems to conflict with the default disablement in the  
underlying tool.

Can this option be expounded on? Does the module's 'editable'  
parameter relate to the pip install option, and is the naming  
confusing or is the description just odd? Why is the parameter True by  
default?

[1] [http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/pip\_module.html](http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/pip_module.html)  
[2] [https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/reference/pip\_install/](https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/reference/pip_install/)

Kind regards,