UV: The Game-Changing Python Package and Project Manager

Introduction

• UV is a Python package and project manager.
• Claims to be almost 100 times faster than pip in certain situations.
• Aimed at simplifying management of Python tools like virtual environments and dependencies.

Installation

For Mac/Linux:

• Use curl or wget, or run:
  pip install uv

For Windows:

• Use PowerShell or run:
  pip install uv

How to Use UV

• Open terminal and type uv to see available commands.

Managing Python Versions

• To list available Python versions:
  uv python list
• To install a specific version:
  uv python install <version>
  (e.g., uv python install 3.8)
• To search for a version:
  uv python find <version>
• To uninstall a version:
  uv python uninstall <version>

Running Python Scripts

• Simple command to run a script:
  uv run <script_name>
  (e.g., uv run main.py)
• To specify a Python version:
  uv run --python <version> <script_name>
• Include dependencies directly in the run:
  uv run --with <dependency_name>
  (e.g., uv run --with rich --with requests)

Managing Dependencies in Scripts

• Automatically add dependencies by running:
  uv init-script <script_name> --python <version>
• Add dependencies dynamically using:
  uv add d-script <script_name> <dependency>
• Dependencies are cached for future runs.

Creating New Python Projects

• Initialize a new project with:
  uv init
• This creates files like:
  • .gitignore
  • pyproject.toml
  • main.py
  • README.md
• Automatically creates a virtual environment.

Managing Project Dependencies

• To add a dependency:
  uv add <dependency>
• To remove a dependency:
  uv remove <dependency>
• The uv.lock file is created to maintain exact package versions.

Syncing Virtual Environments

• UV automatically syncs the virtual environment with project dependencies when running scripts.
• Manual sync can be done using:
  uv sync

Final Features

• Generate a new lock file:
  uv lock
• Legacy pip usage available with:
  uv pip

Conclusion

• UV simplifies Python project management and is significantly faster than pip.
• Encouragement to adopt UV for better dependency and project handling.