Update python readme and add py-wheel command (rerun-io#5912)

### What

### Checklist
* [x] I have read and agree to [Contributor
Guide](https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) and
the [Code of
Conduct](https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
* [x] I've included a screenshot or gif (if applicable)
* [x] I have tested the web demo (if applicable):
* Using newly built examples:
[rerun.io/viewer](https://rerun.io/viewer/pr/5912)
* Using examples from latest `main` build:
[rerun.io/viewer](https://rerun.io/viewer/pr/5912?manifest_url=https://app.rerun.io/version/main/examples_manifest.json)
* Using full set of examples from `nightly` build:
[rerun.io/viewer](https://rerun.io/viewer/pr/5912?manifest_url=https://app.rerun.io/version/nightly/examples_manifest.json)
* [x] The PR title and labels are set such as to maximize their
usefulness for the next release's CHANGELOG
* [x] If applicable, add a new check to the [release
checklist](https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/blob/main/tests/python/release_checklist)!

- [PR Build Summary](https://build.rerun.io/pr/5912)
- [Recent benchmark results](https://build.rerun.io/graphs/crates.html)
- [Wasm size tracking](https://build.rerun.io/graphs/sizes.html)

BUILD.md

@@ -66,9 +66,33 @@ Rerun is available as a package on PyPi and can be installed with `pip install r
 Additionally, prebuilt dev wheels from head of main are available at <https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/releases/tag/prerelease>.
 
 If you want to build from source, you can do so easily in the pixi environment:
-* Run `pixi run py-build-release` to build SDK & viewer for python (or `pixi run py-build` for a debug build)
+* Run `pixi run py-build --release` to build SDK & viewer for python (or `pixi run py-build` for a debug build)
 * Then you can run examples from the repository, either by making the pixi shell active with  `pixi shell` and then running python or by using `pixi run`, e.g. `pixi run python examples/python/minimal/main.py`
 
+
+### Tests & Tooling
+
+```sh
+# Run the unit tests
+pixi run py-test
+
+# Run the linting checks
+pixi run py-lint
+
+# Run the formatter
+pixi run py-fmt
+```
+
+### Building an installable Python Wheel
+The `py-wheel` command builds a whl file:
+```sh
+pixi run py-wheel --release
+```
+Which you can then install in your own python environment:
+```sh
+pip install ./target/wheels/*.whl
+```
+
 ## Building and installing the Rerun C++ SDK
 
 On Windows you have to have a system install of Visual Studio 2022 in order to compile the SDK and samples.

pixi.toml

@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ py-fmt-check = "ruff format --check --config rerun_py/pyproject.toml"
 py-lint = "mypy --install-types --non-interactive --no-warn-unused-ignore"
 
 py-build = "maturin develop --manifest-path rerun_py/Cargo.toml --extras=tests"
-py-build-release = "maturin develop --release --manifest-path rerun_py/Cargo.toml --extras=tests"
+py-wheel = "maturin build --manifest-path rerun_py/Cargo.toml"
 
 # Run the Python tests.
 # Don't call this on CI - use `nox` to run tests on all supported Python versions instead.

rerun_py/README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# The Rerun Python Log SDK
+# The Rerun Python SDK
 
-Use the Rerun SDK to log data like images, tensors, point clouds, and text. Logs are streamed to the Rerun Viewer for live visualization or to file for later use.
+Use the Rerun SDK to record data like images, tensors, point clouds, and text. Data is streamed to the Rerun Viewer for live visualization or to file for later use.
 
 <p align="center">
   <img width="800" alt="Rerun Viewer" src="https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/assets/2624717/c4900538-fc3a-43b8-841a-8d226e7b5a2e">
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ pip3 install rerun-sdk
 ℹ️ Note:
 The Python module is called `rerun`, while the package published on PyPI is `rerun-sdk`.
 
+For other SDK languages see [Installing Rerun](https://www.rerun.io/docs/getting-started/installing-viewer).
+
 ## Example
 ```py
 import rerun as rr
@@ -47,114 +49,32 @@ python3 -m rerun
 
 In a second terminal, run the example with the `--connect` option:
 ```sh
-python3 python examples/python/plots/main.py --connect
+python3 examples/python/plots/main.py --connect
 ```
+Note that SDK and Viewer can run on different machines!
 
--------------------------
-
-# From source
-
-Setup:
 
-* Install the Rust toolchain: <https://rustup.rs/>
-* `git clone [email protected]:rerun-io/rerun.git && cd rerun`
-* Run `./scripts/setup_dev.sh`.
-* Make sure `cargo --version` prints `1.74.0` once you are done
+# Building Rerun from source
 
-## Building
-To build from source and install Rerun into your *current* Python environment run:
+We use the [`pixi`](https://prefix.dev/) for managing dev-tool versioning, download and task running. See [here](https://github.com/casey/just#installation) for installation instructions.
 
 ```sh
-python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
-pip3 install -r rerun_py/requirements-build.txt
-pip3 install "./rerun_py"
+pixi run py-build --release
 ```
+To build SDK & viewer for python (or `pixi run py-build` for a debug build) and install it in the pixi environment.
 
-ℹ️ Note:
-If you are unable to upgrade pip to version `>=21.3`, you need to pass `--use-feature=in-tree-build` to the `pip3 install` command.
-
-## Development
-
-To set up a new virtualenv for development:
+You can then run examples from the repository, either by making the pixi shell active with `pixi shell` and then running python or by using `pixi run`, e.g. `pixi run python examples/python/minimal/main.py`.
 
+Respectively, to build a wheel instead for manual install use:
 ```sh
-just py-dev-env
-# For bash/zsh users:
-source venv/bin/activate
-# Or if you're using fish:
-source venv/bin/activate.fish
+pixi run py-wheel --release
 ```
 
-## Build, test, and run
+Refer to [BUILD.md](../BUILD.md) for details on the various different build options of the Rerun Viewer and SDKs for all target languages.
 
-For ease of development you can build and install in "editable" mode. This means you can edit the `rerun` Python code without having to re-build and install to see changes.
 
-```sh
-# Build the SDK and install in develop mode into the virtualenv
-# Re-run this if the Rust code has changed!
-source venv/bin/activate
-just py-build
-```
-
-### Test
-```sh
-# Run the unit tests
-just py-test
+# Installing a pre-release
 
-# Run the linting checks
-just py-lint
+Prebuilt dev wheels from head of main are available at <https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/releases/tag/prerelease>.
 
-# Run an example
-python examples/python/minimal/main.py
-```
-
-## Building an installable Python Wheel
-The Python bindings to the core Rust library are built using https://github.com/PyO3/pyo3.
-
-To build an installable Python wheel run:
-```
-pip install -r rerun_py/requirements-build.txt
-maturin build -m rerun_py/Cargo.toml --release
-```
-
-By default the wheels will be built to `target/wheels` (use the `-o` flag to set a different output directory).
-
-Now you can install `rerun` in any Python3 environment using:
-
-```sh
-pip3 install target/wheels/*.whl
-```
-
-## Viewing the docs locally
-The rerun python docs are generated using `mkdocs`
-
-Install the doc requirements:
-```
-pip install -r rerun_py/requirements-doc.txt
-```
-
-Serve the docs:
-```sh
-mkdocs serve -f rerun_py/mkdocs.yml -w rerun_py
-```
-or
-```sh
-just py-docs-serve
-```
-
-For information on how the docs system works, see: [docs/writing_docs.md](docs/writing_docs.md)
-
-
-## Troubleshooting
-You can run with `RUST_LOG=debug` to get more output out of the rerun SDK.
-
-If you are using an Apple-silicon Mac, make sure `rustc -vV` outputs `host: aarch64-apple-darwin`. If not, this should fix it:
-
-``` sh
-rustup set default-host aarch64-apple-darwin && rustup install 1.74
-```
-
-If you want to switch back, this is how:
-``` sh
-rustup set default-host x86_64-apple-darwin && rustup install 1.74
-```
+While we try to keep the main branch usable at all times, it may be unstable occasionally. Use at your own risk.