Why Use uv Instead of pip?

Published on: 2025-08-24

pip vs uv

uv is a next-generation Python package manager and virtual environment tool. Here’s why many developers are choosing it over pip

  1. Speed ⚡
    uv is written in Rust, making installs and dependency resolution significantly faster than pip.
  2. Built-in Virtualenvs 📦
    Unlike pip, uv automatically manages virtual environments—no need for venv or virtualenv.
  3. Better Dependency Resolution 🔄
    uv uses a modern dependency resolver similar to Poetry, but faster and simpler to use.
  4. Drop-in Replacement 🛠️
    You can use uv commands very similarly to pip, so the learning curve is almost zero.
  5. Reproducibility ✅
    Lockfile support ensures environments are consistent across machines, much like Poetry or Pipenv.

In short: uv = the speed of Rust + the simplicity of pip + the reliability of Poetry.

Project Setup with uv

  1. Install uv
pip install uv
  1. Create a New Project 
uv init fastapi-langchain-app
cd fastapi-langchain-app
  1. Add Dependencies
uv add "fastapi[all]" langchain langchain-openai python-dotenv sqlalchemy uvicorn psycopg2-binary