uv pip install: Fast, pip-Compatible Installs

A much faster, pip-compatible install command.

uv pip install installs packages with uv’s fast resolver while accepting pip-style arguments. It is a near drop-in replacement for pip install in CI.

What it does

Resolves and installs packages into the active or selected environment using uv. It mirrors much of pip’s interface, so -r, -e, and version specifiers work as expected.

Common usage

Terminal

uv pip install requests
uv pip install -r requirements.txt
uv pip install -e .
uv pip install --python .venv/bin/python flask

Common CI gotcha: no environment to install into

Unlike pip, uv will not install into a non-virtual system Python by default. Create a venv (uv venv) or pass --system / --python explicitly so uv knows the target.

Terminal

# Fix: create and target a venv
uv venv
uv pip install -r requirements.txt --python .venv/bin/python

Related guides

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