Prepare release v2.4.0 (#4176)

Work towards #4175

Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: github-actions[bot]

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -29,6 +29,69 @@ Unreleased changes are tracked as individual files in the [news/](./news)
 directory, or view the [latest generated
 changelog](https://rules-python.readthedocs.io/en/latest/changelog.html).
 
+{#v2-4-0}
+## [2.4.0] - 2026-09-22
+
+[2.4.0]: https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/releases/tag/2.4.0
+
+{#v2-4-0-changed}
+### Changed
+* (bootstrap) {obj}`sys.path` adds the Python runtime in runfiles instead
+  of the underlying Bazel repository cache directory
+  ([#4104](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4104)).
+* (gazelle) Deprecate the `requirements` argument of `gazelle_python_manifest`
+  in favor of the format-agnostic `lockfiles` argument, which supports `uv.lock`.
+* (toolchain) Updated default Python 3.15 runtime from `3.15.0a8` to `3.15.0rc1`
+  ([#4122](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4122)).
+* (toolchain) Updated the default Python toolchain version from `3.11` to `3.14`
+  in {obj}`python.defaults`, {obj}`python_register_toolchains`, and
+  {obj}`python_register_multi_toolchains`
+  ([#4023](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4023)).
+
+{#v2-4-0-fixed}
+### Fixed
+* Include the Python toolchain's static libraries when `current_py_cc_libs` is used
+  as a dependency of `cc_shared_library`.
+* (bzlmod) Fixed a type mismatch error when using {obj}`coverage_tool` with
+  {obj}`python.single_version_platform_override`
+  ([#2570](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/2570)).
+* (precompile) Fixed handling of directory and `.pyc` file inputs in
+  {obj}`srcs` when {obj}`precompile` is enabled on {obj}`py_library`,
+  {obj}`py_binary`, and {obj}`py_test` targets
+  ([#4113](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4113)).
+* (pypi) Fixed wheel RECORD file generation on Windows so that rewritten shebang
+  scripts correctly include the `.bat` extension
+  ([#4114](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4114)).
+* (pypi) Fixed {obj}`RECORD` file paths for extracted `.data` directory contents
+  so that {obj}`importlib.metadata.files()` correctly locates installed
+  distribution files ([#4025](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4025)).
+* (pypi) Venv mode now works on NixOS and no longer requires coreutils to process
+  wheel scripts and RECORD files
+  ([#4125](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/pull/4125)).
+* (rules) Fixed loading Python extension modules from paths longer than `MAX_PATH` on Windows.
+* (runfiles) Updated {obj}`runfiles.Path` method signatures for Python 3.14
+  typeshed compatibility and fixed {obj}`runfiles.Path.match` on Python 3.12+.
+  ([#4023](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/4023))
+* (stamping) The build data spawn action is now skipped when `--stamp=false` and,
+  instead the metadata file is written at analysis time via `ctx.actions.write()`.
+* (toolchain) Fixed a crash in {obj}`py_test` main validation
+  ({obj}`validate_test_main`) on Windows: the interpreter used for the check
+  couldn't find its DLLs or its stdlib once relocated
+  ([#4079](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/4079)).
+* (toolchain) Fixed a crash on Windows when precompiling is enabled:
+  the precompiler's interpreter couldn't find its DLLs once relocated
+  ([#4082](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/4082)).
+
+{#v2-4-0-added}
+### Added
+* (runfiles) Added {obj}`Runfiles.CreateOrRaise` to return a `Runfiles` instance
+  or raise an error if runfiles cannot be found.
+* (uv) Added {obj}`directory` attribute to {obj}`lock` to support running `uv`
+  commands within subdirectories when generating lock files. Defaults to the
+  package directory, set it to `None` or `""` to set it to the root of the repo
+  ([#4029](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/4029)).
+
+
 {#v2-3-3}
 ## [2.3.3] - 2026-09-04
 

gazelle/docs/installation_and_usage.md

@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ gazelle_python_manifest(
 )
 ```
 
-:::{versionchanged} VERSION_NEXT_FEATURE
+:::{versionchanged} 2.4.0
 The `requirements` argument is deprecated in favor of `lockfiles`, which can
 refer to any dependency lockfile, including `uv.lock`.
 :::

gazelle/manifest/defs.bzl

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def gazelle_python_manifest(
         **kwargs):
     """A macro for defining the updating and testing targets for the Gazelle manifest file.
 
-    :::{versionchanged} VERSION_NEXT_FEATURE
+    :::{versionchanged} 2.4.0
     The `requirements` argument is deprecated in favor of `lockfiles`, which
     can refer to any dependency lockfile, including `uv.lock`.
     :::