In this article, the author reflects on a full year of experience using uv, a new Python project management tool by Astral, and lays out why it might be your best bet when starting a new Python project. The tool aims to solve the notorious bootstrapping problems inherent to Python by being completely independent of the system’s Python installation, and by offering a unified, fast, and reliable interface that bridges pip and venv. It supports multiple Python versions—including CPython and PyPy—and streamlines dependency management, project initialization, and even on-the-fly Python environment creation, as exemplified by its impressive “Installed Python 3.8.16 in 2.71s” performance. Although there are minor shortcomings, such as potential issues with legacy projects, corporate environments, or specific Python versions not yet supported by python-build-standalone, the overall recommendation is clear: “always try uv first.”

Key points:

• Unified Bootstrapping: uv decouples Python bootstrapping from system dependency issues, making it easier to install, update, and manage Python versions without worrying about PATH or PYTHONPATH conflicts.
• Smooth Adoption: Offers a pip and venv interface that allows existing projects to migrate without a steep learning curve, even supporting features like inline dependencies and transparent lock file management.
• Speed & Efficiency: Demonstrated by quick installations (like “Installed Python 3.8.16 in 2.71s”) and a robust caching system that speeds up subsequent operations.
• Strong Dependency Resolution: Incorporates a powerful dependency resolver with clear error messages, inspired by best practices from pip, rye, and poetry.
• Flexibility & Advanced Features: Beyond basic package management, uv supports project initialization (creating .venv, pyproject.toml, git repositories, etc.), building wheels, and a tool (uvx) similar to pipx for running tools outside the project.
• Considerations & Limitations: Not ideal for legacy projects with outdated dependency management, corporate environments with strict security policies, or scenarios needing specific Python versions unavailable via python-build-standalone.
• Community & Future Outlook: Although uv is a commercial project by Astral and still evolving towards stable v1, its open source nature and impressive development pace build trust, encouraging users to “just use uv” as a Pareto solution for Python project management.

This blend of innovation and pragmatic design makes uv a strong contender to replace older tools such as pyenv, poetry, pipenv, and even challenge the likes of Anaconda, especially for those willing to embrace the command line. Enjoy your journey with uv—your Python projects may never be the same again!
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