pipx: Install Python CLI Tools in Isolation
pipx is a command line tool to install and run Python command line applications in isolated environments. Each installed application gets its own virtual environment, preventing dependency conflicts between tools while making their executables available on your PATH.
Relationship to uv
pipx installs Python CLI tools like Ruff or csvkit in isolated virtual environments so they don’t conflict with system Python or project dependencies. uv provides the same isolation model through uv tool install and uvx, installs tools faster, and handles Python version and project management in a single binary. For any workflow pipx handles, uv is the superior choice.
uv tool install and uvx. If you already use uv, you may not need pipx. See the uv tool management documentation for details.Usage
# Install a tool
pipx install ruff
# Run a tool without installing it
pipx run cowsay hello
# Upgrade an installed tool
pipx upgrade ruff
# List installed tools
pipx listFor example, to install the csvkit suite of command line tools, run pipx install csvkit. This installs csvkit in an isolated environment and makes its tools available on your PATH.
pipx is distinct from pip; it uses pip internally to install packages into isolated environments rather than into the global Python environment.