Install Urlwatch inside a Python virtual environment so pip does not modify Ubuntu’s system Python. From your project directory, run:
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
python -m pip install --upgrade urlwatch
urlwatch --versionInstall Urlwatch in a virtual environment
-
Open a terminal and change to the directory where you want the environment, or create a directory for the project.
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Create a virtual environment named
.venv:python3 -m venv .venv -
Activate it in the current shell:
source .venv/bin/activate -
Install or upgrade Urlwatch using the command in the Urlwatch 2.29 handbook:
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python -m pipafter activation runs pip through the environment’s Python interpreter. Pip resolves Urlwatch’s declared required dependencies during installation. -
Verify that the command is available and prints a version:
urlwatch --version
To leave the environment when you are done, run deactivate. When you return to this installation, activate it again from the project directory with source .venv/bin/activate.
Why use a virtual environment on Ubuntu?
Ubuntu 23.04 and newer mark the system Python environment as externally managed under PEP 668. A direct system-wide pip install may therefore be rejected, and modifying system Python with pip is not the right route for this installation. Create and activate the virtual environment first, then run the install command inside it.
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Requirements and optional Urlwatch features
Urlwatch 2.29 documents Python 3.8 or newer. Its required Python dependencies are PyYAML, minidb, requests, keyring, platformdirs, lxml, and cssselect; installing Urlwatch with pip normally installs its declared dependencies automatically.
Some features have additional optional dependencies. For example, browser jobs use Playwright, and certain reporters and filters need extra packages. Install optional packages only when you plan to use the feature that requires them; they are not prerequisites for every Urlwatch installation.
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When to choose pip, pipx, or Ubuntu’s package
| Route | Use it when | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| pip in a virtual environment | You specifically want a pip installation in an isolated Python environment. | Use the commands above; activate the environment whenever you want to run Urlwatch from it. |
| pipx | You want an application manager to install Urlwatch in an isolated environment and expose its command on PATH. | For Ubuntu 23.04 and newer, pipx documents installing it with sudo apt update, sudo apt install pipx, then pipx ensurepath. This is an alternative to direct pip installation, not a step needed for the venv method. |
| Ubuntu apt package | You prefer Ubuntu’s packaged version over pip. | The package version depends on the Ubuntu suite: the Jammy package index lists 2.24-1, while the Questing manpage describes 2.29-1. Check the package available for your release if version choice matters. |
Troubleshooting
“externally-managed-environment” from pip
Pip is probably targeting Ubuntu’s system Python rather than an active virtual environment. Create and activate .venv as shown above, then rerun python -m pip install --upgrade urlwatch.
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Install the venv support package appropriate to your Ubuntu release through its package manager, then rerun python3 -m venv .venv. The specific package name may vary by release and Python version.
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The shell says “urlwatch: command not found”
Check that the virtual environment is active. From the project directory, run source .venv/bin/activate, then try urlwatch --version again. The environment’s bin directory must be on PATH for the command to resolve.
Installation succeeds but a feature does not run
Check whether that feature requires an optional dependency. Browser jobs, for example, require Playwright; optional packages for reporters and filters depend on the specific feature. The base installation does not include every feature-specific extra.
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Urlwatch monitors web pages for changes; ScreenshotNeo is a separate website screenshot API for capturing pages, not an Urlwatch installer. If you also need a screenshot, one GET request can return an image or PDF. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation.
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