UV Python Manager

Overview

uv is an extremely fast Python package and project manager that replaces pip, pip-tools, pipx, poetry, pyenv, twine, virtualenv, and more. It provides comprehensive project management with a universal lockfile, runs scripts with inline dependency metadata, and includes a pip-compatible interface.

Installation

Standalone Installer (Recommended)

macOS and Linux:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Windows:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

Other Methods

• PyPI: pipx install uv or pip install uv
• Homebrew: brew install uv
• WinGet: winget install --id=astral-sh.uv -e
• Scoop: scoop install main/uv
• Docker: ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv

Core Capabilities

1. Package Management

Install packages (pip-compatible):

uv pip install requests
uv pip install -r requirements.txt
uv pip install --editable .

List installed packages:

uv pip list

Uninstall packages:

uv pip uninstall package-name

2. Virtual Environment Management

Create a virtual environment:

uv venv
uv venv .venv
uv venv --python 3.12

Activate virtual environment:

• macOS/Linux: source .venv/bin/activate
• Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

Remove virtual environment:

rm -rf .venv  # or rmdir /s .venv on Windows

3. Python Version Management

Install Python versions:

uv python install 3.10 3.11 3.12
uv python install pypy@3.8

List installed Python versions:

uv python list

Pin Python version for a project:

uv python pin 3.11

Use specific Python version:

uv run --python 3.12 -- python script.py
uv venv --python 3.12.0

4. Running Scripts

Run Python scripts with automatic dependency resolution:

uv run script.py
uv run --python 3.11 script.py

Run scripts with inline dependencies (in script comments):

# /// script
# requires-python = ">=3.10"
# dependencies = [
#   "requests>=2.28.0",
#   "click",
# ]
# ///

5. Project Management

Initialize a new project:

uv init my-project
cd my-project

Add dependencies to project:

uv add requests
uv add --dev pytest
uv add "django>=4.0,<5.0"

Remove dependencies:

uv remove requests

Sync dependencies (install from lockfile):

uv sync

Update dependencies:

uv lock --upgrade

6. Workspace Support

uv supports Cargo-style workspaces for scalable projects:

uv init --workspace

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Starting a New Project

# Initialize project
uv init my-project
cd my-project

# Add dependencies
uv add requests pandas

# Run a script
uv run main.py

Workflow 2: Working with Existing Project

# Clone and setup
git clone <repo>
cd <repo>

# Install dependencies from lockfile
uv sync

# Run project
uv run main.py

Workflow 3: Managing Python Versions

# Install multiple Python versions
uv python install 3.10 3.11 3.12

# Create venv with specific version
uv venv --python 3.12

# Pin version for project
uv python pin 3.12

Workflow 4: Migrating from pip/poetry

From pip:

• Replace pip install with uv pip install
• Replace pip freeze > requirements.txt with uv pip compile requirements.in

From poetry:

• Use uv add instead of poetry add
• Use uv sync instead of poetry install
• Lockfile format is compatible

Workflow 5: Running Tools (pipx replacement)

# Install and run tools
uv tool install black
uv tool run black .

# Or use uvx (if available)
uvx black .

Best Practices

1. Use lockfiles: Always commit uv.lock to version control for reproducible builds
2. Pin Python versions: Use uv python pin to ensure consistent Python versions across team
3. Use virtual environments: Always work within a virtual environment for project isolation
4. Leverage speed: uv is 10-100x faster than pip, use it for all package operations
5. Workspace for monorepos: Use workspace feature for managing multiple related projects

Docker Integration

Use uv in Docker containers:

FROM ghcr.io/astral-sh/uv:debian

WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN uv sync
CMD ["uv", "run", "main.py"]

Troubleshooting

Issue: Command not found after installation

• Solution: Add ~/.cargo/bin (or %USERPROFILE%\.cargo\bin on Windows) to PATH

Issue: Python version not found

• Solution: Use uv python install <version> to install the required version

Issue: Lockfile conflicts

• Solution: Run uv lock to regenerate lockfile, or uv lock --upgrade to update dependencies

References

For detailed documentation on specific features, see:

General References

• Advanced package management: See references/package-management.md
• Project configuration: See references/project-config.md
• Docker usage: See references/docker.md

Command References

• uv pip: Pip兼容接口 - See references/commands/uv-pip.md
• uv venv: 虚拟环境管理 - See references/commands/uv-venv.md
• uv python: Python版本管理 - See references/commands/uv-python.md
• uv run: 运行Python脚本 - See references/commands/uv-run.md
• uv init: 初始化项目 - See references/commands/uv-init.md
• uv add: 添加依赖 - See references/commands/uv-add.md
• uv remove: 移除依赖 - See references/commands/uv-remove.md
• uv sync: 同步依赖 - See references/commands/uv-sync.md
• uv lock: 锁文件管理 - See references/commands/uv-lock.md
• uv build: 构建项目 - See references/commands/uv-build.md
• uv publish: 发布到PyPI - See references/commands/uv-publish.md
• uv tool: 工具管理 - See references/commands/uv-tool.md