UV Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
Installation
pip install uv --break-system-packages
Virtual Environments
| Action | Command |
| Create venv | uv venv |
| Create with name | uv venv myenv |
| Create with Python version | uv venv --python 3.12 |
| Activate (Linux) | source .venv/bin/activate |
| Deactivate | deactivate |
Package Installation
| Action | Command |
| Install package | uv pip install requests |
| Install multiple | uv pip install requests pandas numpy |
| Install specific version | uv pip install requests==2.31.0 |
| Install with constraints | uv pip install "requests>=2.28,<3.0" |
| Install from file | uv pip install -r requirements.txt |
| Install editable | uv pip install -e . |
| Upgrade package | uv pip install --upgrade requests |
| Action | Command |
| List packages | uv pip list |
| Show outdated | uv pip list --outdated |
| Show package info | uv pip show requests |
| Freeze current state | uv pip freeze |
| Save to file | uv pip freeze > requirements.txt |
Package Removal
| Action | Command |
| Uninstall package | uv pip uninstall requests |
| Uninstall multiple | uv pip uninstall requests pandas |
Requirements Management
| Action | Command |
| Compile requirements | uv pip compile requirements.in -o requirements.txt |
| Sync to requirements | uv pip sync requirements.txt |
| Install from pyproject | uv pip install -e . |
| Install with extras | uv pip install -e ".[dev]" |
Project Examples
Project-Specific Packages
| Purpose | Packages |
| A2A Stage 3 | uv pip install cryptography PyJWT bcrypt |
| MCP Development | uv pip install mcp httpx pydantic |
| Task Collab Stage 4 | uv pip install redis flask |
| Documentation | uv pip install mkdocs-material |
Common Workflows
New Project
mkdir myproject && cd myproject
uv venv
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install requests pandas
uv pip freeze > requirements.txt
Existing Project
cd existing-project
uv venv
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install -r requirements.txt
MCP Server
mkdir mcp-server && cd mcp-server
uv venv --python 3.12
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install mcp httpx pydantic
Update Dependencies
uv pip list --outdated
uv pip install --upgrade requests
uv pip freeze > requirements.txt
Pro Tips
✨ Speed: 10-100x faster than pip
🔄 Cache: Automatic package caching
🎯 Compatible: Drop-in pip replacement
🔒 Lock files: Use uv pip compile for reproducible builds
🐍 Python versions: Specify with --python X.Y
Common Errors & Fixes
| Error | Solution |
| "uv not found" | pip install uv --break-system-packages |
| Can't activate venv | source .venv/bin/activate |
| Package conflicts | uv pip compile requirements.in then install |
| Wrong Python version | uv venv --python 3.12 |
Why UV?
- ⚡ Extremely fast - Written in Rust
- 🎯 Better dependency resolution - More reliable than pip
- 💾 Smart caching - Reuses downloaded packages
- 🔄 Drop-in replacement - Same commands as pip
- 🛡️ Reliable - Handles conflicts better
Remember
- Always activate your venv:
source .venv/bin/activate - Save your deps:
uv pip freeze > requirements.txt - Use
uv pip compile for locked dependencies - Each project gets its own venv
- Prefix pip commands with
uv: uv pip install