[python] pypi UserWarning: Unknown distribution option: 'install_requires'

In conclusion:

distutils doesn't support install_requires or entry_points, setuptools does.

change from distutils.core import setup in setup.py to from setuptools import setup or refactor your setup.py to use only distutils features.

I came here because I hadn't realized entry_points was only a setuptools feature.

If you are here wanting to convert setuptools to distutils like me:

  1. remove install_requires from setup.py and just use requirements.txt with pip
  2. change entry_points to scripts (doc) and refactor any modules relying on entry_points to be full scripts with shebangs and an entry point.