uv

Overview

uv is Astral’s Rust-based package and project manager for Python, best suited to developers who want to consolidate dependency, environment, Python-version, script, and command-line-tool workflows. Its scope is unusually broad for a free tool, but its imperfect compatibility with familiar commands and plaintext credential storage are meaningful trade-offs.

Rather than assembling several separate tools, a developer can use uv for tasks often handled by pip, pip-tools, pipx, Poetry, pyenv, twine, and virtualenv. The documentation describes it as 10–100x faster than pip; that is a stated comparison, not a promise for every workload. Its pip-compatible interface also does not exactly reproduce the commands and behavior of the tools it draws on, so established workflows may need adjustment.

Compare it with our Python Package Managers and broader Package Managers directories.

Key features

Projects and dependencies

uv resolves dependencies and manages project environments, lockfiles, and workspaces. It handles source distributions and wheels, as well as requirements.txt and pylock.toml. Private registry authentication and offline installation support make it a practical option for internal package sources or environments where network access is restricted.

Its default first-index strategy limits package candidates to the first index where a package is found, helping reduce dependency-confusion risk. Credentials are excluded from uv.lock, and authentication can use environment variables, URLs, netrc, or keyring. The security caveat is storage: uv currently keeps credentials in a plaintext file. Native system secret storage exists only as an experimental preview, so teams with strict credential-handling requirements should weigh that limitation before adopting it.

Python versions, scripts, and tools

uv can install, list, pin, and uninstall Python versions, and it supports CPython, PyPy, Pyodide, and GraalPy. It can also run scripts with dependencies and run or install command-line tools distributed as Python packages. That breadth can reduce the number of separate utilities a Python developer needs, though teams should account for the differences in uv’s interfaces when replacing existing commands.

Integrations and installation

Official integration guides cover Docker, Jupyter, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD, Pre-commit, PyTorch, FastAPI, Bazel, and package registries. uv uses rustls with aws-lc-rs for TLS and bundled Mozilla root certificates by default. Installation options include a standalone installer, PyPI, Homebrew, MacPorts, WinGet, Scoop, Docker, GitHub Releases, and Cargo. PyPI installation on platforms without a prebuilt wheel requires a Rust toolchain to build from source.

Pricing

uv is free: the uv plan costs nothing. It is an open-source Python package and project manager, with no paid tier or trial needed to get started. That makes it suitable for individual developers and teams seeking broad tooling without a software subscription.

Platforms

uv supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its Python compatibility spans CPython, PyPy, Pyodide, and GraalPy. The PyPI route may require a Rust toolchain on platforms without a prebuilt wheel; the standalone installer and other distribution channels provide alternatives.

Who it's for

uv is a strong fit for Python developers who want dependency resolution, lockfiles, workspaces, environment management, Python-version control, and script or CLI execution in one tool. Offline installation and private registry authentication also suit teams working with internal packages or constrained networks. It is less compelling for organizations that require mature native secret storage or exact behavioral compatibility with their current package-management commands.

Pros and cons

Pros

Broad Python workflow coverage: It can replace several common package, environment, version, and command-line tools, reducing tool sprawl.

Project controls: Dependency resolution, lockfiles, workspaces, and offline installation support reproducible work across projects and restricted environments.

Multiple Python implementations: Support for CPython, PyPy, Pyodide, and GraalPy gives it reach beyond a single interpreter.

Free and widely installable: The free plan and multiple distribution channels lower the cost and setup barriers.

Cons

Credentials currently use plaintext storage: Native secret storage is only an experimental preview, a concern for security-sensitive teams.

Compatibility is not exact: The pip-compatible interface differs in commands and behavior, which can complicate migration from familiar tools.

Some PyPI installs need a Rust toolchain: Building from source adds setup work on platforms without a prebuilt wheel.

Alternatives

Choose pip if you want Python package installation through a free, focused tool rather than uv’s broader project and environment scope. For JavaScript package management, npm offers a free plan for public package authors with unlimited public packages and public registry access; its paid plans are a separate consideration.

Gradle is a free open-source build system, while Cargo is a free Rust package manager and build tool. Yarn is a free open-source package manager with no paid plans or usage limits stated, and pnpm is another free package manager for Linux, macOS, Windows, and Android.

Conan is a free and open-source option for C and C++ package management, dependency, and binary management. For PHP dependency management, consider Composer, a free tool under the MIT license.

Verdict

Choose uv if you work in Python and want one free tool to cover dependency and environment management, Python versions, scripts, and command-line tools, with lockfiles and offline support. Its consolidation and breadth are the strongest reasons to adopt it. Look elsewhere if your team needs native secret storage beyond an experimental preview or relies on exact compatibility with existing package-management commands.