pip Complete Guide: Installing, Managing, and Troubleshooting Python Packages

# Install a package
pip install requests

# Install a specific version
pip install requests==2.31.0

# Install minimum version
pip install "requests>=2.28.0"

# Install version range
pip install "requests>=2.28.0,<3.0.0"

# Upgrade a package
pip install --upgrade requests

# Uninstall a package
pip uninstall requests

# Uninstall without confirmation prompt
pip uninstall -y requests

# List all installed packages
pip list

# List outdated packages
pip list --outdated

# Show package details (version, location, dependencies)
pip show requests

# Show package files
pip show --files requests

# Search PyPI (deprecated in newer pip, use pypi.org instead)
pip search requests

# Generate requirements.txt from current environment
pip freeze > requirements.txt

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

# Install from requirements.txt with exact versions
pip install -r requirements.txt --require-hashes

# Install production deps
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Install dev deps (includes production)
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt

# Create a virtual environment
python3 -m venv .venv

# Activate (Linux/macOS)
source .venv/bin/activate

# Activate (Windows)
.venv\Scripts\activate

# Deactivate
deactivate

# Verify you're in the venv
which python  # should show .venv/bin/python
pip list      # shows only packages in this venv

# From PyPI (default)
pip install requests

# From a Git repository
pip install git+https://github.com/psf/requests.git

# From a specific branch/tag/commit
pip install git+https://github.com/psf/[email protected]
pip install git+https://github.com/psf/requests.git@main

# From a local directory (editable install — changes reflected immediately)
pip install -e ./my-package
pip install -e .  # install current directory as editable

# From a wheel file
pip install requests-2.31.0-py3-none-any.whl

# From a tarball
pip install requests-2.31.0.tar.gz

# From a URL
pip install https://example.com/packages/mypackage.tar.gz

# Show current configuration
pip config list

# Set a configuration value
pip config set global.index-url https://pypi.org/simple/

# Use a different package index (e.g., company internal)
pip install mypackage --index-url https://internal.example.com/simple/

# Use an extra index alongside PyPI
pip install mypackage --extra-index-url https://internal.example.com/simple/

# Disable SSL verification (not recommended)
pip install requests --trusted-host pypi.org --trusted-host files.pythonhosted.org

# ~/.pip/pip.conf (Linux/macOS)
# %APPDATA%\pip\pip.ini (Windows)

[global]
index-url = https://pypi.org/simple/
timeout = 60
trusted-host = pypi.org
               files.pythonhosted.org

[install]
require-virtualenv = true  # refuse to install outside a venv

# Check for dependency conflicts
pip check

# Install with verbose output to debug issues
pip install -v requests

# Force reinstall
pip install --force-reinstall requests

# Install without dependencies
pip install --no-deps requests

# Download packages without installing (for offline use)
pip download requests -d ./packages/
pip install --no-index --find-links ./packages/ requests

pip install pipenv
pipenv install requests
pipenv install pytest --dev
pipenv shell  # activate venv

pip install poetry
poetry new myproject
poetry add requests
poetry add pytest --group dev
poetry install
poetry shell

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

# Don't use sudo with pip — use --user instead
pip install --user requests

# Or better: use a virtual environment
python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
pip install requests

# Upgrade pip and certifi
pip install --upgrade pip certifi

# If behind a corporate proxy
pip install requests --cert /path/to/corporate-cert.pem

# Python 3
python3 -m pip install requests

# Ensure pip is installed
python3 -m ensurepip --upgrade

# See what's conflicting
pip check

# Create a fresh environment and install from scratch
python3 -m venv .venv-fresh
source .venv-fresh/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt