\n\n**Documentation**: https://pipxproject.github.io/pipx/\n\n**Source Code**: https://github.com/pipxproject/pipx\n\n_For comparison to other tools including pipsi, see [Comparison to Other Tools](https://pipxproject.github.io/pipx/comparisons/)._\n\n## Install pipx\n\n```\npython3 -m pip install --user pipx\npython3 -m pipx ensurepath\n```\n\nUpgrade pipx with `python3 -m pip install -U pipx`.\n\nShell completions are available by following the instructions printed with this command:\n```\npipx completions\n```\n\nFor more details, see the [installation instructions](https://pipxproject.github.io/pipx/installation/).\n\n\n## Overview: What is `pipx`?\n\npipx is a tool to help you install and run end-user applications written in Python. pipx **is not** a tool for development or publishing of your code -- it's only for consuming already published packages.\n\nIf you are familiar macOS's `brew`, it's kind of like that but for Python applications. If you are familiar with JavaScript's [npx](https://medium.com/@maybekatz/introducing-npx-an-npm-package-runner-55f7d4bd282b), it's kind of like that but also allows you to install packages. If you are familiar with `pip`, it's kind of like that but is only focused on installing packages that have entry points.\n\npipx does not ship with pip, but installing it is often an important part of bootstrapping your system.\n\nPython and PyPI allow developers to distribute code with \"console script entry points\". These scripts let users call into Python code from the command line, effectively acting like standalone applications. `pipx` is a tool to install and run any of these thousands of Python applications available on PyPI in a safe, convenient, and reliable way. **In a way, it turns Python Package Index (PyPI) into a big app store for Python applications.** Not all Python packages have entry points, but many do. `pipx` is **not** a tool to install a library and `import` it in your Python code.\n\n`pipx` enables you to:\n\n- Safely install packages to isolated environments, while globally exposing their CLI entry points so you can run them from anywhere (see the `install` command). This guarantees no dependency conflicts and clean uninstalls!\n- Easily list, upgrade, and uninstall packages that were installed with pipx\n- Run the latest version of a Python application in a temporary environment (see the `run` command)\n\nBest of all, pipx runs with regular user permissions, never calling `sudo pip install` (you aren't doing that, are you? \ud83d\ude04).\n\n\n### Walkthrough: Installing a Package and its Applications With `pipx`\n\nYou can globally install an application by running\n\n```\npipx install PACKAGE\n```\n\nThis automatically creates a virtual environment, installs the package, and adds the package's associated applications (entry points) to a location on your `PATH`. For example, `pipx install pycowsay` makes the `pycowsay` command available globally, but sandboxes the pycowsay package in its own virtual environment. **pipx never needs to run as sudo to do this.**\n\nExample:\n\n```\n>> pipx install pycowsay\n installed package pycowsay 2.0.3, Python 3.7.3\n These apps are now globally available\n - pycowsay\ndone! \u2728 \ud83c\udf1f \u2728\n\n\n>> pipx list\nvenvs are in /home/user/.local/pipx/venvs\napps are exposed on your $PATH at /home/user/.local/bin\n package pycowsay 2.0.3, Python 3.7.3\n - pycowsay\n\n\n# Now you can run pycowsay from anywhere\n>> pycowsay mooo\n ____\n< mooo >\n ====\n \\\n \\\n ^__^\n (oo)\\_______\n (__)\\ )\\/\\\n ||----w |\n || ||\n\n```\n\n### Walkthrough: Running an Application in a Temporary, Sandboxed Environment\n\nI find this handy when I occasionally run an app and want to use the latest version of it, but don't necessarily need it installed on my computer. You may want to do this when you are initializing a new project and want to set up the right directory structure, when you want to view the help text of an application, or if you simply want to run an app in a one-off case.\n\nFor example, the blog post [How to set up a perfect Python project](https://sourcery.ai/blog/python-best-practices/) uses `pipx run` to kickstart a new project with[cookiecutter](https://github.com/cookiecutter/cookiecutter).\n\nA nice side benefit is that you don't have to remember to upgrade the app it since `pipx run` will automatically run a recent version for you.\n\nOkay, let's see what this looks like in practice!\n\n```\npipx run APP [ARGS...]\n```\n\nThis will install the package in an isolated, temporary directory and invoke the app. Try it!\n\n```\npipx run pycowsay moo\n```\n\nNotice that you **don't need to execute any install commands to run the app**.\n\nRe-running the same app is quick because pipx caches Virtual Environments on a per-app basis. The caches only last a few days, and when they expire, pipx will again use the latest version of the package. This way you can be sure you're always running a new version of the package without having to manually upgrade.\n\nYou can run .py files directly, too.\n\n```\npipx run https://gist.githubusercontent.com/cs01/fa721a17a326e551ede048c5088f9e0f/raw/6bdfbb6e9c1132b1c38fdd2f195d4a24c540c324/pipx-demo.py\npipx is working!\n```\n\n## Testimonials\n\n\"*I'm a big fan of pipx. I think pipx is super cool.*\"\n
![](\"https://github.com/pipxproject/pipx/raw/master/logo.png\"/){kind=logo}
\n\n![](\"https://github.com/pipxproject/pipx/raw/master/pipx_demo.gif\")
\n\n![](\"https://travis-ci.org/pipxproject/pipx.svg?branch=master\")
\n\n\n![](\"https://img.shields.io/badge/pypi-0.14.0.0-blue.svg\"){kind=icon}
\n![\"Code](\"https://img.shields.io/badge/code%20style-black-000000.svg\"){kind=icon}
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