commands.md

Useful Python-related commands

Outside the virtual environment

These are commands especially useful to use outside a virtual environment.

In these commands, replace python with a different Python interpreter command, if applicable. For example, you might have Python 3.12 installed as python3.12.

Create a Python virtual environment:

python -m venv .venv

Activate the virtual environment:

. .venv/bin/activate

Inside the virtual environment

In these commands, do not replace python with a different name. A virtual environment's Python interpreter is always callable as python.

Deactivate the virtual environment (if you want to stop using it):

deactivate

Check Python version:

python -V

Upgrade or install packages used for package management (Python 3.12):

python -m pip install -U pip wheel

Upgrade or install packages used for package management (Python 3.11 and earlier):

python -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel

Install dependencies from a requirements file:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Run a "vanilla" REPL:

python

Run the IPython REPL (if ipython is installed):

ipython

Run doctests (no output means all passed):

python -m doctest FILES...

...but replace FILES... with one or more filenames, e.g.:

python -m doctest dicts.py

Run doctests verbosely:

python -m doctest -v FILES...

python -m doctest -v dicts.py

(You could instead put the -v at the end if you like.)

Run all tests pytest can run, including doctests:

pytest --doctest-modules

Run it verbosely:

pytest --doctest-modules -v