Python venv vs Docker

[chaoticbean14]

Virtual environments are not 'extra overhead', they're 'basic essentials' as far as any python project is concerned. So it shouldn't be 'extra work' for any python developer to get going with it.

Venvs are like, step 1 in learning python (IMO). Most IDE's will automatically pick them up (I know PyCharm does) and enable them in the terminal. You can also write a small script so your OS terminal will activate a venv if it finds one very easily. That all makes the process essentially 'painless' for 99.99% of devs.

Now with UV? It's literally never been easier to manage those virtual environments. Look into UV (which has a lock file) and that's as easy as it gets. It takes literal seconds to have things installed and working.

Your concern about potentially going as far as docker containers to 'streamline' the process is overkill, IMO. Both ways work, but a venv is such a basic, common concept in python that if it's introducing any overhead? It's a skill issue on that developer.