This is just a placeholder page, to show what a Pipu page and package would look like.
The draft came about from discussions over at Homebrew
The problem that Pipu may address, is that a new standard currently being rolled out will make various standard distributions very difficult to use for beginners. Here's an example. Let's say I install Homebrew Python 3.12, that does have this standard installed. I'm a beginner, interested in Python game programming, and I found this tutorial.
It says that I need to install pygame with:
pip install pygame
I run that, and I see this:
error: externally-managed-environment
× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try brew install
xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
install.
If you wish to install a non-brew-packaged Python package, create a
virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv. Then use
path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip.
If you wish to install a non-brew packaged Python application, it may
be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a virtual
environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python
installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the
risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing
--break-system-packages. hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed
specification.
Remember, I'm a beginner. So I guess I try:
$ brew install pygame ==> Downloading https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula.jws.json #=#=# ==> Downloading https://formulae.brew.sh/api/cask.jws.json #=#=# Warning: No available formula with the name "pygame". Did you mean pygments? ==> Searching for similarly named formulae and casks... ==> Formulae pygments To install pygments, run: brew install pygments
Maybe I do a bit of Googling, and work out that maybe I want:
$ brew install python-pygame Warning: No available formula with the name "python-pygame". Did you mean python-pytz? ==> Searching for similarly named formulae and casks... ==> Formulae python-pytz To install python-pytz, run: brew install python-pytz
Now I'm a bit confused, and I go back to the original message. This is the next suggestion, but it looks very confusing, as I have no idea what a virtualenv is:
If you wish to install a non-brew-packaged Python package, create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv. Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip.
Presumably I would have given up on Homebrew by now, but let's say I'm brave, and I do eventually work out that I can do this:
python3 -m venv path/to/venv path/to/venv/bin/pip install pygame
But I still really need to know what this virtualenv thing is, that I will
have to always run path/to/venv/bin/python3 to get an interactive console in
which I can import pygame, I'll have to remember where these files are in my
$PATH (which is not always easy for beginners) and so on.
Ok, but now I want to use ipython or jupyter. If I've developed some understanding by now, then I might realize I need to do:
path/to/venv/bin/pip install ipython
but now I have to work out that my next step is:
path/to/venv/bin/ipython
In short, I'll have to understand what virtualenvs are and how they work.
More plausibly, the instructions on virtualenvs above look so confusing, that I try the next instructions:
If you wish to install a non-brew packaged Python application, it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
OK, I work out that I first need:
brew install pipx
Then:
pipx install pygame
I get:
$ pipx install pygame No apps associated with package pygame or its dependencies. If you are attempting to install a library, pipx should not be used. Consider using pip or a similar tool instead.
OK - so I'm left with this final note:
note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages. hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.
That sounds far too scary - I mean - they wouldn't give me that warning if they weren't serious. So I conclude Homebrew is not for me and I install something else. Probably Conda.
The plan for Pipu is that it be a drop in replacement for Pip - the Python Package Installer.
It will be designed to act exactly as Pip does with a single exception - it will not try and force you into using virtualenvs if you are working on a Python distribution like Homebrew or Gentoo.
See the Pip documentation for usage and other instructions. To use pipu just use pipu instead of pip throughout.
We will release updates regularly, with a new version every 3 months, closely following Pip's own release schedule.
If you have an issue with Pipu, please first try:
If you want to get involved, head over to GitHub to get the source code.