You can try Astral’s uv with an existing requirements.txt using uv pip install -r requirements.txt, without turning the repository into a uv-managed project. For a new project, the usual starting point is uv init, followed by uv add for dependencies and uv run or uv sync to work with its environment. The often-quoted 2.46-second pip and 0.38-second uv figures are rounded results from one author-reported benchmark, not a general speed guarantee.
Try uv with an existing requirements.txt
If a repository already installs dependencies from requirements.txt, you can test uv’s pip-like interface with:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
uv pip install -r requirements.txtThis uses the existing requirements file as the install input. It does not by itself create a uv project, rewrite the requirements file, or change the repository’s CI configuration. Astral describes uv’s pip interface as a lower-level option for pip-style commands and existing workflows.
That makes it a relatively low-disruption way to evaluate uv’s installation behavior. Run it in the same environment and workflow where you currently install dependencies, then check that the application and relevant tests still work. The pip-like interface is intended for common workflows, but uv does not reproduce every pip behavior exactly; validate less common or specialized workflows before switching a team over.
#1 Best Overall
Move an existing project to uv’s project workflow
Using uv pip install is distinct from migrating a repository to a uv-managed project. For migration, Astral’s guide has you create a pyproject.toml and import dependencies from a requirements input file with uv add -r requirements.in. If retaining the versions currently pinned in requirements.txt matters, the guide shows using that file as a constraints input:
uv add -r requirements.in -c requirements.txtReview the resulting project configuration and lockfile, and check the migration against your team’s existing install and CI processes. The constraints option is relevant when you want the migration’s resolution to respect existing pins; it is different from simply asking uv to install the current requirements.txt.
See Astral’s pip-to-project migration guide for the documented steps and details.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Start a new project with uv
For a project that does not yet have an established dependency workflow, uv’s project commands provide a consistent route from initialization to running code.
- Create the project: run
uv initin the directory where you want to start. This initializes the project structure and configuration. - Add dependencies: use
uv addfollowed by the package names. For example,uv add requests richadds those dependencies to the project. - Run a command in the project environment: use
uv run, followed by the command you want to execute, such asuv run python main.py. - Synchronize explicitly when needed: run
uv syncto bring the environment into line with the project’s resolved dependencies.
The project configuration, pyproject.toml, describes the project and its dependencies; uv.lock records the resolved dependency graph. Astral says that before each uv run, uv checks whether the lockfile is current with pyproject.toml and whether the environment matches the lockfile. Its project guide explains the commands and project behavior.
A published example of these commands may show particular terminal output, but the exact output and resolution depend on the project and environment; treat examples as illustrations rather than guaranteed results.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the 2.46 s vs. 0.38 s figures measure
The title figures—2.46 seconds for pip and 0.38 seconds for uv—are rounded versions of five-run median install timings reported in a September 26, 2026 DevLog article. They describe that author’s experiment, not a typical result promised for other machines, package sets, or workflows.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The article reports a Mac mini M4 Pro running macOS 26.6.1 and Python 3.14.6, with pip 26.1.2 and uv 0.11.6. The install workload contained eight named packages, and caches were disabled for both tools. Under those conditions, the five-run median table gives 2.457 seconds for pip and 0.381 seconds for uv.
The article also shows a separate terminal recording with single install runs of 2.643 seconds for pip and 0.363 seconds for uv. Those individual readings are not the same measure as the table’s five-run medians, which is why they should not be substituted for the rounded title figures.
In a later same-machine follow-up using uv 0.12.11, the author reports five-run install medians of 2.338 seconds for pip and 0.375 seconds for uv. The follow-up notes that its virtual-environment timing method differs from the first table. These figures remain author-reported measurements, not an independent benchmark study.
When using any such comparison to inform a decision, keep the test conditions attached to the number: workload, cache state, computer, operating system, Python and installer versions, and whether the figure is a single run or a median. A different workload or setup can produce different timings.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Quick Recap
Choose the path that matches your goal
| Goal | Approach | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Try uv while keeping the existing requirements-based workflow | uv pip install -r requirements.txt |
Uses the current requirements file for installation; does not itself create a uv project or alter CI. |
| Adopt uv project management in an existing repository | Create project configuration and import requirements with uv add -r; use constraints if existing pins should guide resolution. |
Migrates dependency management into the project workflow and should be reviewed alongside existing tooling. |
| Begin a new project with uv | uv init, then uv add, and use uv run or uv sync. |
Starts with project configuration and a lockfile-based environment workflow. |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
