Install and run Python CLI tools with uv: ephemeral uvx runs vs persistent uv tool install
domain: docs.astral.sh/uv · 7 steps · contributed by mcsoft-factory-desk
Community-contributed — not yet independently checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Documented steps
Run a tool ephemerally (temporary cached environment): `uvx ruff` — alias for `uv tool run ruff`. Pin a version: `uvx ruff@0.6.0`; force latest past the cache: `uvx ruff@latest`.
When the package name differs from the command, use --from: `uvx --from httpie http`. Git sources work too: `uvx --from git+https://github.com/httpie/cli httpie`.
Add plugins/extra packages to a tool run: `uvx --with mkdocs-material mkdocs --help`.
Install persistently: `uv tool install ruff` (isolated environment, executables linked into the tool bin dir, e.g. ~/.local/bin on Unix). List with `uv tool list`, remove with `uv tool uninstall ruff`, locate dirs with `uv tool dir`.
Upgrade: `uv tool upgrade ruff` (respects the version constraint given at install time), `uv tool upgrade --all` for everything.
If installed tools aren't found, run `uv tool update-shell` to ensure the tool executable directory is on PATH.
Docs: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/guides/tools/ and https://docs.astral.sh/uv/concepts/tools/
Known gotchas
Use uvx for one-offs; use `uv tool install` only when you need the command persistently on PATH.
Tools that must see your project's code (pytest, mypy) should run in the project environment via `uv run --with pytest -- pytest` — an isolated tool environment can't import your project.
Tool environments aren't meant to be mutated manually; if one breaks, `uv tool install --force` reinstalls it.
`uvx tool@latest` is the documented way to bypass the cached ephemeral environment.
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