How to install pip on CentOS / RHEL / Ubuntu / Debian

PIP is the alternate python package installer. pip is famous for easily managing the python based packages. As well as, with the help of pip you can also install the package of particular version. Most importantly pip has a feature to manage full lists of packages and corresponding version numbers, possible through a “requirements” file.

It performs the same basic job as easy_install, but with some extra features. It can work with version control repositories (currently only Git, Mercurial, and Bazaar repositories), logs output extensively, and prevents partial installs by downloading all requirements before starting installation.

It has some disadvantages when compared to easy_install. It does not use egg files, although it does preserve egg metadata. Some setuptools features are not yet supported, and some custom setup.py features won´t work.

Install pip on CentOS / RHEL

For RHEL 8.x and CentOS 8.x

In CentOS 8 and RHEL 8, it is user choice to install the python version. As we know the Python 2.x has end of life in 2020.
Basically we need pip for managing the python packages. In CentOS 8/RHEL when you install the Python 3.x by dnf command , it also install pip 3 as a dependency.
So this command is for installing Python 3.x and pip3 as well.

sudo dnf install -y python3

If you do not have pip 3.x in your CentOS 8 / RHEL 8 system then only use the given below command.

sudo dnf install -y python3-pip

.
After installing pip 3 on CentOS 8 / RHEL 8, use pip3 command to manage the python packages. To check the help for pip3 command, use the given below command.

pip3 --help

For RHEL 7.x and CentOS 7.x (x86_64)

First install the EPEL repo as per your Operating system version and architecture.
For detail study, you can read our previous post on EPEL.

We have already written post on “Install EPEL repo on CentOS 7 / RHEL 7” with more details. Below given command will install EPEL repo on CentOS 7 / RHEL 7.

yum install epel-release

For RHEL 6.x and CentOS 6.x (x86_64)

rpm -ivh http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm

For RHEL 6.x and CentOS 6.x (i386)

rpm -ivh http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/i386/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm

Installing pip with yum command

Now install pip with yum command

yum install -y python-pip

The pip rpm will be installed. You can confirm it by using following command.
See below given reference :

[root@localhost ~]# which pip
/usr/bin/pip
[root@localhost ~]# 
[root@localhost ~]# rpm -qa|grep pip
python-pip-1.3.1-4.el6.noarch
[root@localhost ~]#

Install pip on Debian / Ubuntu

Install pip in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

As we know, the python 2.x is on sunset. In Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, it is shipped with Python 3.6. Hence, we will install the pip3 version.

Install the pip 3 by using apt-get command

sudo apt-get -y update
sudo apt install python3-pip

To manage the python 3.x packages, use the pip3 command.
You check its help.

pip3 --help

Install pip on Ubuntu 1604 LTS and 180.04 LTS

In Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and 18.04 LTS install the pip by using apt command.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python-pip

To confirm the package installation.Given below is the reference from my system

sharad@ubuntu:~$ sudo dpkg -l|grep pip
[sudo] password for sharad: 
ii  libpipeline1:amd64                  1.3.0-1                             amd64        pipeline manipulation library
ii  python-pip                          1.5.4-1                             all          alternative Python package installer
sharad@ubuntu:~$ 
sharad@ubuntu:~$ which pip
/usr/bin/pip
sharad@ubuntu:~$

How to use pip command

After installing python-pip package, the pip command will be available on system.
There are multiple options available with pip command.

Most commonly used are install and uninstall of python package.

For installing package with pip command

Use below given syntax :

sudo pip install python-package-name

For uninstalling package with pip command

Use below given syntax

sudo pip uninstall python-package-name

Use –help switch along with pip command, to get more options. Read the below options, it is quite easy to use.

sharad@ubuntu:~$ pip --help

Usage:   
  pip  [options]

Commands:
  install                     Install packages.
  uninstall                   Uninstall packages.
  freeze                      Output installed packages in requirements format.
  list                        List installed packages.
  show                        Show information about installed packages.
  search                      Search PyPI for packages.
  wheel                       Build wheels from your requirements.
  zip                         DEPRECATED. Zip individual packages.
  unzip                       DEPRECATED. Unzip individual packages.
  bundle                      DEPRECATED. Create pybundles.
  help                        Show help for commands.

General Options:
  -h, --help                  Show help.
  -v, --verbose               Give more output. Option is additive, and can be used up to 3 times.
  -V, --version               Show version and exit.
  -q, --quiet                 Give less output.
  --log-file            Path to a verbose non-appending log, that only logs failures. This
                              log is active by default at /home/sharad/.pip/pip.log.
  --log                 Path to a verbose appending log. This log is inactive by default.
  --proxy              Specify a proxy in the form [user:passwd@]proxy.server:port.
  --timeout              Set the socket timeout (default 15 seconds).
  --exists-action     Default action when a path already exists: (s)witch, (i)gnore,
                              (w)ipe, (b)ackup.
  --cert                Path to alternate CA bundle.
sharad@ubuntu:~$