The best option depends on your use case, but generally, the most robust and maintainable solution is relocating resource files (Option 5) if they don’t need to be executable Python code. Here's why:

Why Relocate Resource Files? Prevents Compilation Automatically: Non-.py files won’t be compiled by pip or Python. Clear Separation: Separates resource files (e.g., configuration, templates, data) from your executable code, making your package easier to maintain. Cross-Platform Friendly: Avoids potential issues with different systems interpreting .py files as executable Python code. Simplifies Packaging: Removes the need for extra configuration in MANIFEST.in or setup.py.