Alternatives to pip – Real Python (2024)

FAQs

What to use instead of pip in Python? ›

Today, we'll look into uv , which boasts being over 100 times faster than pip . uv functions as a Python package installer, virtual environment creator and a resolver. To achieve its blazing speed, it was built in Rust. Additionally, it was designed as a drop-in replacement for pip and pip-tools workflows.

Use pip if you are working with pure Python projects and need access to the vast array of libraries available on PyPI. Use conda if you are working with projects that use multiple languages, need different versions of Python, or require complex binary dependencies.

To manage these dependencies in your code, Poetry is a great tool for those working with more complex and diverse projects with a higher number of dependencies. While Pip and Conda are still viable options, they are more suited for smaller environments that are less complex.

With pip3 the version for Python3 and not Python2 is installed. pip3 always operates on the Python3 environment only, as pip2 does with Python2. pip operates on whichever environment is appropriate to the context. For example if you are in a Python3 venv, pip will operate on the Python3 environment.

Conda automatically resolves inter-package dependencies and helps to avoid conflicts arising from various requirements for various programs. On the other hand, pip is the official package management tool for Python, standing for “Pip Installs Packages”.

Pip is not only a program that comes with Python, but a piece of Python code that comes with Python. (The program works by starting a Python interpreter to run that code.) It's usually recommended to use Python to run Pip; that also helps with managing multiple versions of Python on the same computer.

I use these tools because I often want to install non-PyPI tools in the same environment. But pip alone is a great choice for Python packages. There are lots of great IDEs out there, and what's best for you will depend on how you like to work and what kind of code you're writing.

Can I install Anaconda even after I have pip installed the packages already? An Anaconda installation is a separate installation of Python from any existing one(s) that you may have pip installed packages to. In general python installations shouldn't, and usually don't, interfere with each other.

Should I install PyTorch with conda or pip? ›

While Conda is the recommended method for installing PyTorch, Pip is also a viable option. The choice of method depends on your specific needs and preferences. Regardless of the method you choose, it is important to verify the installation by running a simple Python script that imports PyTorch.

Disadvantages of Anaconda

Some disadvantages may include the following: Large size: Anaconda comes with a large number of pre-installed packages, which can make the installation file quite large. This can make it slower to download and install and also take up more storage space on your computer.

In summary, conda is a general-purpose package and environment manager with cross-language support, while Poetry is specifically designed for Python projects, providing dependency management, packaging, and project metadata features.

Poetry is a tool for dependency management and packaging in Python. It allows you to declare the libraries your project depends on and it will manage (install/update) them for you. Poetry offers a lockfile to ensure repeatable installs, and can build your project for distribution.

While you'll focus on dependency management in this tutorial, Poetry can also help you build a distribution package for your project. If you want to share your work, then you can use Poetry to publish your project on the Python Packaging Index (PyPI).

It's usually recommended to use Python to run Pip; that also helps with managing multiple versions of Python on the same computer. On Windows, it's necessary to do this when you use Pip to update itself (because Windows doesn't let programs replace their own file on disk).

%pip will install the package in the virtual environment where the current notebook kernel is running. While !pip will install the package in the base environment. If you are using Python virtual environment (as you should!), you should use %pip .

pip vs pip3 vs pip2

So, if you want to make sure that pip operates on your Python 3 environment or your Python 2 environment, use the pip3 or pip2 commands, respectively. By contrast, the pip command operates on whichever Python environment is appropriate to the context.

A “pip: command not found” error occurs when you fail to properly install the package installer for Python (pip) needed to run Python on your computer. To fix it, you will either need to re-install Python and check the box to add Python to your PATH or install pip on your command line.