Why you should use python -m pip

What is python -m pip?

/usr/bin/python3.7 -m pip means you are executing pip for your interpreter located at /usr/bin/python3.7.

環境変数PATHの話

Why use python -m pip over pip/pip3?

例：python3.7とpython3.8があるケース

what the last copy of pip was written to /usr/local/bin/pip

when you use python -m pip with python being the specific interpreter you want to use, all of the above ambiguity is gone.

曖昧さがなく、すべて制御している

Basically because pip.exe is considered running when you do pip install --upgrade pip, Windows won't let you overwrite pip.exe. But if you do python -m pip install --upgrade pip you avoid that issue as it's python.exe that's running, not pip.exe.

Windowsで好まれる事情

What about when I am in an activated environment?

Windowsでpipをupgradeする方法は仮想環境でも該当

I would say you should use python -m pip as it works regardless of the situation.

仮想環境を有効にし忘れるミスを回避できる

ベストプラクティスを他の人に伝えられる

Personally, any tool that I use whose execution relies on which interpreter it is run with I always use -m, activated environment or not, in order to be very purposefully and explicit in what Python interpreter I want to be used/affected.

ALWAYS use an environment! Don't install into your global interpreter!

PIP_REQUIRE_VIRTUALENVを1にしておく

コマンドラインで0で上書きできる (emergency escape hatch)

If you need to install a tool

If you need an environment for your project (and you don't use conda)

python -m venv

.venv/bin/python works just as well as activating the environment and typing python.

pyvenvコマンドに言及

If you are a conda user

There's always containers

As long as you are not installing into the system Python of the container you should be free to do a global install to keep your container simple and straight-forward.

同様のエントリはクジラ飛行机さんの連載で見かけた覚えあり