pip cheatsheet

Installing and managing packages of Python is a pain. Many popular Python packages are available for installation from Ubuntu repositories, but they are old versions.

The most convenient way to install, uninstall and manage Python packages is Pip.

• pip is the usually the Python2 tool. pip3 is the Python3 tool. All the commands in this post will use pip, but they apply the same to pip3.

• pip and pip3 can be installed from Ubuntu repositories:

$ sudo apt install python-pip python3-pip

• To install a package from PyPI for all users:

$ sudo pip install foobar

This installs the package files to /usr/local/lib/python2.x/site-packages for pip and to /usr/local/lib/python3.x/site-packages for pip3.

• To install a package from PyPI for only yourself:

$ pip install --user foobar

This installs the package files to ~/.local/lib/python2.x/site-packages.

• To uninstall a package that was installed for all users:

$ sudo pip uninstall foobar

• To uninstall a package that was installed only for you:

$ pip uninstall --user foobar

• To upgrade an installed package:

$ pip install --upgrade foobar

• To list all installed packages and their versions:

$ pip list

• To search PyPI for a package by name:

$ pip search foobar

• To list the installed file paths of a package:

$ pip show -f foobar