How to fix "No `project` Table Found" error in uv

When using uv’s project commands in repositories that contain a pyproject.toml file without a [project] table, you’ll encounter this error:

error: No `project` table found in: `/path/to/pyproject.toml`

This commonly occurs in repositories that use pyproject.toml only for tool configuration (like Black, Ruff, or other development tools) but don’t define the project itself.

Understanding the Error

uv requires a [project] table in pyproject.toml when running project-related commands like uv run. This table defines essential metadata about your project, particularly its name.

Solution Options

Option 1: Add a Minimal [project] Table

The simplest solution is to add a minimal [project] table to the existing pyproject.toml:

[project]
name = "your-project-name"
version = "0.1.0"

This satisfies uv’s requirements while maintaining compatibility with existing tool configurations.

Option 2: Use the --no-project Flag

For commands like uv run, add the --no-project flag to tell uv to ignore project detection:

uv run --no-project python script.py

This flag instructs uv to operate in non-project mode, similar to how it would work if no pyproject.toml was present.