Python Development Tools Guide 2026

# Install a package
pip install requests

# Install from requirements.txt
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Upgrade a package
pip install --upgrade requests

# List installed packages
pip list

# Export dependencies
pip freeze > requirements.txt

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

# Create project
uv create my-project

# Install dependencies
uv add requests

# Sync environment
uv sync

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv myenv

# Activate environment
# Linux/Mac:
source myenv/bin/activate
# Windows:
myenv\Scripts\activate

# Deactivate
deactivate

# Create virtual environment with uv (faster)
uv venv myenv
source myenv/bin/activate

# Install
pip install ipython

# Launch
ipython

# Common features
# - Auto-completion
# - ? for help
# - ! to run shell commands
# - %timeit for performance testing

# Install
pip install jupyter

# Launch
jupyter notebook

# Or use JupyterLab
pip install jupyterlab
jupyter lab

// Recommended settings.json
{
  "python.linting.enabled": true,
  "python.formatting.provider": "black",
  "python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "basic",
  "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "/usr/bin/python3"
}

# Install
pip install pytest

# Run tests
pytest

# Run specific file
pytest test_example.py

# Show verbose output
pytest -v

# Run failed tests
pytest --lf

# Install
pip install black

# Format code
black .

# Check format (no changes)
black --check .

# Install
pip install ruff

# Check
ruff check .

# Auto-fix
ruff check --fix .

# Create environment
conda create -n myenv python=3.11

# Activate environment
conda activate myenv

# Install packages
conda install numpy