apache · raulcd · Feb 12, 2026 · Feb 12, 2026 · Feb 12, 2026 · Feb 12, 2026
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ VCPKG="66c0373dc7fca549e5803087b9487edfe3aca0a1"    # 2026.01.16 Release
 # ci/docker/python-*-windows-*.dockerfile or the vcpkg config.
 # This is a workaround for our CI problem that "archery docker build" doesn't
 # use pulled built images in dev/tasks/python-wheels/github.windows.yml.
-PYTHON_WHEEL_WINDOWS_IMAGE_REVISION=2026-02-25
-PYTHON_WHEEL_WINDOWS_TEST_IMAGE_REVISION=2026-02-25
+PYTHON_WHEEL_WINDOWS_IMAGE_REVISION=2026-03-04
+PYTHON_WHEEL_WINDOWS_TEST_IMAGE_REVISION=2026-03-04
 
 # Use conanio/${CONAN_BASE}:{CONAN_VERSION} for "docker compose run --rm conan".
 # See https://github.com/conan-io/conan-docker-tools#readme and

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           gem install test-unit openssl
-          pip install "cython>=3.1" setuptools pytest requests setuptools-scm
+          pip install build "cython>=3.1" pytest requests scikit-build-core setuptools-scm
       - name: Run Release Test
         shell: bash
         run: |

@@ -29,5 +29,5 @@ numpy>=1.16.6
 pytest
 pytest-faulthandler
 s3fs>=2023.10.0
-setuptools>=77
+scikit-build-core
 setuptools_scm>=8
@@ -111,10 +111,7 @@ echo "=== CCACHE Stats after build ==="
 ccache -sv
 
 echo "=== Building Python ==="
-set PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=%CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE%
-set PYARROW_BUILD_VERBOSE=1
 set PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
-set PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=%CMAKE_GENERATOR%
 set PYARROW_WITH_ACERO=%ARROW_ACERO%
 set PYARROW_WITH_AZURE=%ARROW_AZURE%
 set PYARROW_WITH_DATASET=%ARROW_DATASET%
@@ -137,6 +134,6 @@ pushd %SOURCE_DIR%\python
 %PYTHON_CMD% -m pip install -r requirements-build.txt || exit /B 1
 
 @REM Build PyArrow
-%PYTHON_CMD% -m pip install --no-deps --no-build-isolation -vv . || exit /B 1
+%PYTHON_CMD% -m pip install --no-deps --no-build-isolation -vv -C build.verbose=true . || exit /B 1
 
 popd
@@ -59,9 +59,8 @@ if [ -n "${CONDA_PREFIX}" ]; then
   conda list
 fi
 
-export PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=${CMAKE_GENERATOR:-Ninja}
-export PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-debug}
-
+export CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL=${n_jobs}
+export CMAKE_GENERATOR=${CMAKE_GENERATOR:-Ninja}
 export PYARROW_WITH_ACERO=${ARROW_ACERO:-OFF}
 export PYARROW_WITH_AZURE=${ARROW_AZURE:-OFF}
 export PYARROW_WITH_CUDA=${ARROW_CUDA:-OFF}
@@ -76,8 +75,6 @@ export PYARROW_WITH_PARQUET_ENCRYPTION=${PARQUET_REQUIRE_ENCRYPTION:-ON}
 export PYARROW_WITH_S3=${ARROW_S3:-OFF}
 export PYARROW_WITH_SUBSTRAIT=${ARROW_SUBSTRAIT:-OFF}
 
-export PYARROW_PARALLEL=${n_jobs}
-
 : "${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH:=${ARROW_HOME}}"
 export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH
 export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${ARROW_HOME}/lib:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}
@@ -90,11 +87,9 @@ export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=${ARROW_HOME}/lib${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:${DYLD_LIBRARY_P
 rm -rf "${python_build_dir}"
 cp -aL "${source_dir}" "${python_build_dir}"
 pushd "${python_build_dir}"
-# - Cannot call setup.py as it may install in the wrong directory
-#   on Debian/Ubuntu (ARROW-15243).
 # - Cannot use build isolation as we want to use specific dependency versions
 #   (e.g. Numpy, Pandas) on some CI jobs.
-${PYTHON:-python} -m pip install --no-deps --no-build-isolation -vv .
+${PYTHON:-python} -m pip install --no-deps --no-build-isolation -vv -C cmake.build-type="${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-Debug}" .
 popd
 
 if [ "${BUILD_DOCS_PYTHON}" == "ON" ]; then

@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ source_dir=${1}/python
 
 pushd "${source_dir}"
 export SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION=${PYARROW_VERSION:-}
-${PYTHON:-python} setup.py sdist
+${PYTHON:-python} -m build --sdist
 popd
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ export ARROW_SOURCE_DIR=${arrow_dir}
 export ARROW_TEST_DATA=${arrow_dir}/testing/data
 export PARQUET_TEST_DATA=${arrow_dir}/cpp/submodules/parquet-testing/data
 
-export PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=${CMAKE_GENERATOR:-Ninja}
-export PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-debug}
+export CMAKE_GENERATOR=${CMAKE_GENERATOR:-Ninja}
 export PYARROW_WITH_ACERO=${ARROW_ACERO:-ON}
 export PYARROW_WITH_AZURE=${ARROW_AZURE:-OFF}
 export PYARROW_WITH_S3=${ARROW_S3:-OFF}
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ if [ -n "${ARROW_PYTHON_VENV:-}" ]; then
   . "${ARROW_PYTHON_VENV}/bin/activate"
 fi
 
-${PYTHON:-python} -m pip install "${sdist}"
+${PYTHON:-python} -m pip install -C cmake.build-type="${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-Debug}" "${sdist}"
 
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
 pytest -r s ${PYTEST_ARGS:-} --pyargs pyarrow
@@ -146,9 +146,7 @@ cmake --build . --target install
 popd
 
 echo "=== (${PYTHON_VERSION}) Building wheel ==="
-export PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
-export PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=1
-export PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=${CMAKE_GENERATOR}
+export PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
 export PYARROW_WITH_ACERO=${ARROW_ACERO}
 export PYARROW_WITH_AZURE=${ARROW_AZURE}
 export PYARROW_WITH_DATASET=${ARROW_DATASET}
@@ -161,15 +159,18 @@ export PYARROW_WITH_PARQUET=${ARROW_PARQUET}
 export PYARROW_WITH_PARQUET_ENCRYPTION=${PARQUET_REQUIRE_ENCRYPTION}
 export PYARROW_WITH_SUBSTRAIT=${ARROW_SUBSTRAIT}
 export PYARROW_WITH_S3=${ARROW_S3}
-export PYARROW_CMAKE_OPTIONS="-DCMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES=${CMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES} -DARROW_SIMD_LEVEL=${ARROW_SIMD_LEVEL}"
 export ARROW_HOME=${build_dir}/install
 # PyArrow build configuration
 export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=${build_dir}/install
 # Set PyArrow version explicitly
 export SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION=${PYARROW_VERSION}
 
 pushd ${source_dir}/python
-python -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation
+python -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation \
+  -C build.verbose=true \
+  -C cmake.build-type=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-Debug} \
+  -C cmake.args="-DCMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES=${CMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES}" \
+  -C cmake.args="-DARROW_SIMD_LEVEL=${ARROW_SIMD_LEVEL}"
 popd
 
 echo "=== (${PYTHON_VERSION}) Show dynamic libraries the wheel depend on ==="

@@ -115,11 +115,7 @@ cmake --build . --config %CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE% --target install || exit /B 1
 popd
 
 echo "=== (%PYTHON%) Building wheel ==="
-set PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=%CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE%
-set PYARROW_BUILD_VERBOSE=1
 set PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
-set PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=%CMAKE_GENERATOR%
-set PYARROW_CMAKE_OPTIONS="-DCMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION=%CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION%"
 set PYARROW_WITH_ACERO=%ARROW_ACERO%
 set PYARROW_WITH_AZURE=%ARROW_AZURE%
 set PYARROW_WITH_DATASET=%ARROW_DATASET%
@@ -138,7 +134,10 @@ set CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=C:\arrow-dist
 pushd C:\arrow\python
 
 @REM Build wheel
-%PYTHON_CMD% -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation || exit /B 1
+%PYTHON_CMD% -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation -vv ^
+    -C build.verbose=true ^
+    -C cmake.build-type=%CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE% ^
+    -C cmake.args="-DCMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION=%CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION%" || exit /B 1
 
 @REM Repair the wheel with delvewheel
 @REM

@@ -154,10 +154,7 @@ popd
 check_arrow_visibility
 
 echo "=== (${PYTHON_VERSION}) Building wheel ==="
-export PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
-export PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=1
-export PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=${CMAKE_GENERATOR}
-export PYARROW_CMAKE_OPTIONS="-DCMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION=${CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION}"
+export PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
 export PYARROW_WITH_ACERO=${ARROW_ACERO}
 export PYARROW_WITH_AZURE=${ARROW_AZURE}
 export PYARROW_WITH_DATASET=${ARROW_DATASET}
@@ -175,7 +172,10 @@ export ARROW_HOME=/tmp/arrow-dist
 export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/tmp/arrow-dist
 
 pushd /arrow/python
-python -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation
+python -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation \
+    -C build.verbose=true \
+    -C cmake.build-type=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-Debug} \
+    -C cmake.args="-DCMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION=${CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION}"
 
 echo "=== Strip symbols from wheel ==="
 mkdir -p dist/temp-fix-wheel

@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def test_symbolic_links
   def test_python_version
     source
     Dir.chdir("#{@tag_name_no_rc}/python") do
-      sh("python3", "setup.py", "sdist")
+      sh("python", "-m", "build", "--sdist")
       if on_release_branch?
         pyarrow_source_archive = "dist/pyarrow-#{@release_version}.tar.gz"
       else

@@ -132,15 +132,17 @@ popd
 @rem Build and import pyarrow
 pushd !ARROW_SOURCE!\python
 
+pip install build || exit /B 1
 pip install -r requirements-test.txt || exit /B 1
 
-set PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR=%GENERATOR%
+set CMAKE_GENERATOR=%GENERATOR%
 set PYARROW_WITH_FLIGHT=1
 set PYARROW_WITH_PARQUET=1
 set PYARROW_WITH_PARQUET_ENCRYPTION=1
 set PYARROW_WITH_DATASET=1
 set PYARROW_TEST_CYTHON=OFF
-python setup.py build_ext --inplace --bundle-arrow-cpp bdist_wheel || exit /B 1
+set PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
+python -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation || exit /B 1
 pytest pyarrow -v -s --enable-parquet || exit /B 1
 
 popd

@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ test_python() {
     CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="${CONDA_BACKUP_CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}:${CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}"
   fi
 
-  export PYARROW_PARALLEL=$NPROC
+  export CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL=$NPROC
   export PYARROW_WITH_DATASET=1
   export PYARROW_WITH_HDFS=1
   export PYARROW_WITH_ORC=1

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
   CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE: release
   CXX: "clang++"
   MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET: "{{ macos_deployment_target }}"
-  PYARROW_BUILD_VERBOSE: 1
   PYARROW_VERSION: "{{ arrow.no_rc_version }}"
   PYTHON_VERSION: "{{ python_version }}"
   PYTHON_ABI_TAG: "{{ python_abi_tag }}"

diff --git a/docs/source/developers/documentation.rst b/docs/source/developers/documentation.rst
@@ -71,8 +71,9 @@ These two steps are mandatory and must be executed in order.
       this step requires that ``pyarrow`` library is installed
       in your python environment.  One way to accomplish
       this is to follow the build instructions at :ref:`python-development`
-      and then run ``python setup.py install`` in arrow/python
+      and then run ``pip install --no-build-isolation .`` in arrow/python
       (it is best to do this in a dedicated conda/virtual environment).
+      Add ``-vv`` to the pip command to get output of the build process.
 
       You can still build the documentation without ``pyarrow``
       library installed but note that Python part of the documentation

diff --git a/docs/source/developers/guide/step_by_step/building.rst b/docs/source/developers/guide/step_by_step/building.rst
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ Building other Arrow libraries
 
       .. code:: console
 
-         $ python setup.py build_ext --inplace
+         $ pip install --no-build-isolation -vv .
 
       **Recompiling C++**
 

diff --git a/docs/source/developers/python/building.rst b/docs/source/developers/python/building.rst
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ Optional build components
 
 There are several optional components that can be enabled or disabled by setting
 specific flags to ``ON`` or ``OFF``, respectively. See the list of
-:ref:`python-dev-env-variables` below.
+:ref:`python-dev-components` below.
 
 You may choose between different kinds of C++ build types:
 
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ Build PyArrow
 If you did build one of the optional components in C++, the equivalent components
 will be enabled by default for building pyarrow. This default can be overridden
 by setting the corresponding ``PYARROW_WITH_$COMPONENT`` environment variable
-to 0 or 1, see :ref:`python-dev-env-variables` below.
+to 0 or 1, see :ref:`python-dev-components` below.
 
 To build PyArrow run:
 
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ To build PyArrow run:
       .. code-block::
 
          $ pushd arrow/python
-         $ python setup.py build_ext --inplace
+         $ pip install --no-build-isolation -vv .
          $ popd
 
    .. tab-item:: Windows
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ To build PyArrow run:
       .. code-block::
 
          $ pushd arrow\python
-         $ python setup.py build_ext --inplace
+         $ pip install --no-build-isolation -vv .
          $ popd
 
       .. note::
@@ -428,14 +428,14 @@ To build PyArrow run:
 
          .. code-block::
 
-            $ set PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=1
-            $ python setup.py build_ext --inplace
+            $ set PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
+            $ pip install --no-build-isolation -vv .
 
          Note that bundled Arrow C++ libraries will not be automatically
          updated when rebuilding Arrow C++.
 
 To set the number of threads used to compile PyArrow's C++/Cython components,
-set the ``PYARROW_PARALLEL`` environment variable.
+set the ``CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL`` environment variable.
 
 If you build PyArrow but then make changes to the Arrow C++ or PyArrow code,
 you can end up with stale build artifacts. This can lead to
@@ -444,9 +444,8 @@ artifacts before rebuilding. See :ref:`python-dev-env-variables`.
 
 By default, PyArrow will be built in release mode even if Arrow C++ has been
 built in debug mode. To create a debug build of PyArrow, run
-``export PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE=debug`` prior to running  ``python setup.py
-build_ext --inplace`` above. A ``relwithdebinfo`` build can be created
-similarly.
+``pip install --no-build-isolation -vv -C cmake.build-type=Debug .``.
+A ``relwithdebinfo`` build can be created similarly.
 
 Self-Contained Wheel
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
@@ -457,13 +456,13 @@ libraries). This ensures that all necessary native libraries are bundled inside
 the wheel, so users can install it without needing to have Arrow or Parquet
 installed separately on their system.
 
-To do this, pass the ``--bundle-arrow-cpp`` option to the build command:
+To do this, set the ``PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP`` environment variable before building ``pyarrow``:
 
 .. code-block::
 
-   $ pip install wheel  # if not installed
-   $ python setup.py build_ext --build-type=$ARROW_BUILD_TYPE \
-            --bundle-arrow-cpp bdist_wheel
+   $ export PYARROW_BUNDLE_ARROW_CPP=ON
+   $ pip install build wheel  # if not installed
+   $ python -m build --sdist --wheel . --no-isolation
 
 This option is typically only needed for releases or distribution scenarios,
 not for local development.
@@ -542,8 +541,8 @@ described in development section.
 
 .. _python-dev-env-variables:
 
-Relevant components and environment variables
-=============================================
+Relevant environment variables and build options
+================================================
 
 List of relevant environment variables that can be used to build
 PyArrow are:
@@ -555,14 +554,11 @@ PyArrow are:
    * - PyArrow environment variable
      - Description
      - Default value
-   * - ``PYARROW_BUILD_TYPE``
-     - Build type for PyArrow (release, debug or relwithdebinfo), sets ``CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE``
-     - ``release``
-   * - ``PYARROW_CMAKE_GENERATOR``
-     - Example: ``'Visual Studio 17 2022 Win64'``
+   * - ``CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL``
+     - Number of processes used to compile PyArrow’s C++/Cython components
      - ``''``
-   * - ``PYARROW_CMAKE_OPTIONS``
-     - Extra CMake and Arrow options (ex. ``"-DARROW_SIMD_LEVEL=NONE -DCMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES=x86_64;arm64"``)
+   * - ``CMAKE_GENERATOR``
+     - Example: ``'Visual Studio 17 2022 Win64'``
      - ``''``
    * - ``PYARROW_CXXFLAGS``
      - Extra C++ compiler flags
@@ -576,12 +572,22 @@ PyArrow are:
    * - ``PYARROW_BUNDLE_CYTHON_CPP``
      - Bundle the C++ files generated by Cython
      - ``0`` (``OFF``)
-   * - ``PYARROW_BUILD_VERBOSE``
-     - Enable verbose output from Makefile builds
-     - ``0`` (``OFF``)
-   * - ``PYARROW_PARALLEL``
-     - Number of processes used to compile PyArrow’s C++/Cython components
-     - ``''``
+
+To set the build type (e.g. ``Debug``, ``Release``, ``RelWithDebInfo``), pass
+``-C cmake.build-type=Debug`` to ``pip install`` or to ``python -m build``.
+
+For extra CMake arguments you can use the ``-C cmake.args=``
+argument when building PyArrow. For example, to build a version of PyArrow
+with ``ARROW_SIMD_LEVEL=NONE``, you can run
+``pip install --no-build-isolation -vv -C cmake.args="-DARROW_SIMD_LEVEL=NONE" .``.
+
+To enable verbose output from the build tool, pass
+``-C build.verbose=true`` to ``pip install`` or to ``python -m build``.
+
+.. _python-dev-components:
+
+Relevant components
+===================
 
 The components being disabled or enabled when building PyArrow is by default
 based on how Arrow C++ is build (i.e. it follows the ``ARROW_$COMPONENT`` flags).