ERROR pip build_error ai_generated true

ERROR: Project has a 'pyproject.toml' and its build backend is missing the 'build_editable' hook. Cannot build editable installation.

ID: pip/editable-install-legacy

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90%Fix Rate
92%Confidence
50Evidence
2023-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
24 active — — —

Root Cause

Pip 24 requires PEP 660 support for editable installs with pyproject.toml. Older build backends (setuptools <64) lack the build_editable hook. The legacy setup.py develop fallback was removed.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 93% success Upgrade setuptools to >=64 which supports PEP 660 build_editable hook 
    pip install 'setuptools>=64' && pip install -e .
  2. 88% success Switch build backend to one with PEP 660 support (hatchling, flit-core, pdm-backend) 
    Update pyproject.toml [build-system] to use hatchling or flit-core, then pip install -e .

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Use pip install -e . --no-use-pep517 80% fail

    The --no-use-pep517 flag is deprecated in pip 24 and will not work for pyproject.toml-based projects

  2. Add a setup.py just for editable installs 55% fail

    Creating a setup.py alongside pyproject.toml causes confusion and potential conflicts between build systems

Error Chain

Leads to:
Preceded by:
Frequently confused with: