[Discussion] Pipx

[None1975]

Pipx..What a wonderful and necessary program! This program is found in debian 11 backports (also in Debian Bookworm and Debian Sid). This program allows you to run the latest version of a CLI application from a package in a temporary virtual environment, leaving your system untouched after it finishes. It install packages to isolated virtual environments, while globally exposing their CLI applications so you can run them from anywhere.It easily list, upgrade, and uninstall packages that were installed with pipx. In short, pipx is a tool to help you install and run end-user applications written in Python. It's roughly similar to macOS's brew, JavaScript's npx, and Linux's apt. It's closely related to pip. In fact, it uses pip, but is focused on installing and managing Python packages that can be run from the command line directly as applications. pipx is a tool to install and run any of these thousands of application-containing packages in a safe, convenient, and reliable way. In a way, it turns Python Package Index (PyPI) into a big app store for Python applications. More info here

Tool in action:

[canci]

So, like Flatpak, but for Python. Interesting.

[None1975]

So, like Flatpak, but for Python. Interesting.

Really so. This program is definitely worth checking out.

[sunrat]

Sounds wonderful but necessary? Not so much. I think I have a whole two tiny utility programs from PiPi.

[None1975]

Sounds wonderful but necessary? Not so much. I think I have a whole two tiny utility programs from PiPi.

This app has one good and useful feature. It downloads and runs Python "apps" in a one-time, temporary environment, leaving your system untouched afterwards. This can be handy when you need to run the latest version of an app, but don't necessarily want it installed on your computer. For example i can run latest bpytop with simple command

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pipx run --spec bpytop bpytop

A nice side benefit is that you don't have to remember to upgrade the app since pipx run will automatically run a recent version for you.

[canci]

BTW... Somewhat related:

Next Debian/Ubuntu Releases Will Likely No Longer Allow pip install Ouside A Virtual Environment
The next Debian/Ubuntu releases will likely no longer allow pip install outside a virtual environment or separate Python installs because of conflicts between pip and the OS package manager. It can still be forced, but that's strongly not recommended.

https://www.linuxuprising.com/2023/03/n ... ikely.html

[sunrat]

BTW... Somewhat related:

Next Debian/Ubuntu Releases Will Likely No Longer Allow pip install Ouside A Virtual Environment
The next Debian/Ubuntu releases will likely no longer allow pip install outside a virtual environment or separate Python installs because of conflicts between pip and the OS package manager. It can still be forced, but that's strongly not recommended.

https://www.linuxuprising.com/2023/03/n ... ikely.html

That makes sense and makes pipx useful for Bookworm and later.The only application I use regularly from pip install is yt-dlp which breaks every few weeks and is usually fixed within a day or so. No way Stable will get the update in a timely manner, and pip is easier than going to Github and getting the latest each time.

Side note:- shame the journalist didn't proof read the title of that article - "Ouside".

[CynicalDebian]

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The only application I use regularly from pip install is yt-dlp which breaks every few weeks and is usually fixed within a day or so. No way Stable will get the update in a timely manner, and pip is easier than going to Github and getting the latest each time.

I have been using yt-dlp from bullseye backports for awhile, not that much breakage and when it did break only took 10 days to migrate to testing and further backports. If necessary you could just backport it from unstable easily... but I can see why you might prefer pip to that.

[sunrat]

I have been using yt-dlp from bullseye backports for awhile, not that much breakage and when it did break only took 10 days to migrate to testing and further backports. If necessary you could just backport it from unstable easily... but I can see why you might prefer pip to that.

10 days? when I want to download something from Youtoob, I want it NOW!


@None1975 It would be great if you could correct the spelling in the title. It's pipx not pipix.

[canci]

I let the static yt-dlp script from github self-update.

[sunrat]

I let the static yt-dlp script from github self-update.

Do you mean you run yt-dlp -U ?
Pretty sure I did that too but don't recall why I changed to pip.

[canci]

Exactly. Well, if it works with pip...

[None1975]

@None1975 It would be great if you could correct the spelling in the title. It's pipx not pipix.

Thanks for spotting the mistake. I already fixed it.

[canci]

pipix would roll off the tongue much better