Mastering Python Projects with Ease: From Installation to Execution with uv!

Python is a magical programming language with countless amazing open-source projects, such as AI tools and video processing scripts. However, for many non-programmers, the biggest obstacle to downloading and running these projects from GitHub is "dependency management" and "version management."

Terms like pip, pyenv, venv, poetry, conda... just hearing their names can be dizzying, let alone struggling to get things running after a lot of effort. The good news is that there's a new tool called uv, which is simple, fast, and reliable, especially suitable for novice users. Today, I'll guide you step by step through uv, from installation to running a project, ensuring you can get started after reading this!

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I. Installing uv on Windows: Done in Two Minutes

First, we need to install uv on your Windows computer. Don't worry, no complicated operations are needed, just follow me.

1. Download and Install:
   • Start Menu - find Windows PowerShell (right-click and select "Run as administrator" for more stability).

• Copy and paste this command in, then press Enter:

  powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

• This command will download the installation script from the uv official website and run it automatically. The process takes about a few seconds to a minute or two, depending on your network speed. After completion, the command line will prompt something like "uv installed successfully".

2. Verify: Enter uv --version. If it displays a version number like "uv 0.x.x", congratulations, installation successful!

After installing uv, it will quietly stay on your computer, ready to help you. Next, let's use it to create a new project.

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II. Creating a New Project: Specifying Python 3.10, Getting What's Missing

Subsequent commands can use the CMD console or PowerShell. Directly clear the original content in the address bar of a folder, enter PowerShell or cmd and press Enter to open it

Suppose you want to try a certain AI project, but it requires Python 3.10, and you may not have this version on your computer. The power of uv lies in its ability to automatically download and set it up for you.

1. Create a New Project Folder:
   • Create a folder on your desktop or anywhere, for example, named "myai", enter the folder, and open the cmd console.
2. Create a Project and Specify Python 3.10:
   • Enter this command:

     uv init myai --python 3.10

   • uv will create a new project. If Python 3.10 is not on the computer, it will automatically download it from the Internet (may take a few minutes), and then generate a virtual environment in the folder (like an independent small room, only for this project).
3. See the Results: There will be several more files in the folder, such as pyproject.toml (the project's "manual") and .python-version (remembering the Python version you are using).

Now, you have a clean project environment. Let's add something to it!

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III. Adding, Removing, and Updating Third-Party Modules: As Simple as Ordering Takeout

AI projects usually require some "third-party modules" (such as data processing toolkits). uv makes this as intuitive as ordering takeout.

1. Add Module:
   • Suppose the project needs numpy (a mathematical calculation tool), enter:

     uv add numpy

   • uv will add numpy to pyproject.toml and download and install it into the virtual environment, done in seconds.
2. Remove Module:
   • If you don't think you need numpy, enter:

     uv remove numpy

   • It will remove it from the project, cleanly.
3. Update Module:
   • Want to use the latest version of numpy? Enter:

     uv add numpy --upgrade

   • uv will check for the latest version and update it, saving you the trouble of checking manually.

These commands will automatically keep project dependencies consistent, without worrying about version conflicts. Next, let's run a Python file to try it out.

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IV. Running Python Files: One-Click Start

Suppose you wrote a simple test.py in the project, the content is to print "Hello, AI!":

print("Hello, AI!")

Just enter:

uv run python test.py

"Hello, AI!" will appear on the screen. uv will automatically run with the Python 3.10 environment in the project, saving you the trouble of activating the environment. If the file has dependencies (such as using numpy), uv will also ensure that they are all in place.

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V. Cloning a Project from GitHub and Running It: Taking pyvideotrans as an Example

Now, let's try downloading a real project from GitHub, such as pyvideotrans (a video translation tool, address: https://github.com/jianchang512/pyvideotrans.git), and then configure and run it with uv.

1. Clone Repository:
   • First install Git (go to https://git-scm.com/downloads/win to download, just "Next" all the way during installation). You need to reopen PowerShell or cmd terminal after installation.
   • In PowerShell or cmd terminal, enter:

     git clone https://github.com/jianchang512/pyvideotrans.git

• This will download the project to the pyvideotrans directory under the current folder.

2. Enter Project Directory:
   • Enter cd pyvideotrans.
3. Initialize with uv and Specify Python 3.10:
   • Enter:

     uv init --python 3.10

   • uv will check for Python 3.10 (download if not available) and create a virtual environment for the project.
4. Install Dependencies:
   • The project comes with a requirements.txt file, which lists the required modules. Enter:

     uv pip sync  requirements.txt

• uv will install all dependencies according to this file, such as torch, requests, etc. torch is larger and may take a long time.

5. Run sp.py:
   • Enter:

     uv run  sp.py

   • If everything goes well, the project will start! You can try translating videos according to its instructions.

Isn't the whole process very simple? uv hides the complex dependency management behind the scenes, and you only need a few commands to complete it.

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VI. uv's Major Functions and Common Commands: A Summary

uv is an all-rounder, especially suitable for people like you who like to play with GitHub projects. What's so great about it?

1. Super Fast Installation: 10-100 times faster than traditional tools (such as pip).
2. Environment Management: Automatically create a virtual environment, no need to manually activate, specify whichever Python version you want to use.
3. Dependency Management: Supports pyproject.toml and requirements.txt, adding, removing, and updating modules is done with one click.
4. One-Click Run: Use uv run to directly run scripts, regardless of environment configuration.

Common command quick reference:

• uv --version: Check uv version.
• uv init project_name --python 3.10: Create a new project and specify the Python version.
• uv add module_name: Add a module.
• uv remove module_name: Remove a module.
• uv pip sync requirements.txt: Install modules in the dependency file.
• uv run file_name: Run a Python file.