Why uv makes Make less essential for Python projects

For years, I’ve been a strong advocate for using Makefiles in Python projects. They’ve provided a consistent interface for common tasks like environment setup (make venv), testing (make test), and code formatting (make format).

But with the advent of uv, I’m reconsidering this approach. Here’s why Make might be becoming less essential in the modern Python ecosystem.

The Speed Factor

One of Make’s traditional strengths is avoiding unnecessary work. A properly configured Makefile only rebuilds targets when dependencies change. This was valuable when setting up Python environments, for example:

venv: requirements.txt
	python -m venv .venv
	.venv/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt
	touch venv

This pattern ensures your virtual environment only rebuilds when requirements.txt changes. However, uv’s dramatic speed improvements (10-100x faster than pip) have changed this equation. When environment updates take seconds rather than minutes, the optimization Make provides becomes less crucial.

Command Interface Consolidation

Make provided a unified interface to disparate tools (e.g., pip install, python -m venv, source .venv/bin/activate). With uv, many of these functions are consolidated under a single, well-designed command line interface.

Makefile Complexity

While powerful, Make comes with quirks:

• Tab-based syntax errors that can be difficult to debug
• Unintuitive escaping rules
• Required .PHONY declarations for targets that don’t produce files
• Varied assignment operators (=, :=, ?=, etc.)

For team members unfamiliar with Make, these peculiarities create a steeper learning curve than simply learning uv’s commands directly.

Exploring Alternatives

If you still want a task runner for your Python projects, you could consider several modern alternatives to Make:

• just: A simpler command runner with a more intuitive syntax
• taskfile: A YAML-based task runner with advanced features
• hatch: Includes scripts functionality alongside Python project management.

Finding Your Path

As uv continues to mature, the Python ecosystem is consolidating around faster, more integrated tooling. For many projects, the simplest approach may be to embrace these improvements directly rather than abstracting them behind Make.

What’s your experience? Are you sticking with Make or exploring alternatives for your Python projects?