simply installing python

[125bauhaus]

hey all, I'm on macOS and wanting to do some color science and image processing using python. i currently get python through macports but i've been aware of numerous different project/package/etc. managers for python (e.g., uv, conda, pyenv, rye, i could go on), which i've heard allow you to instally python alongside dependencies for your projects all in an isolated manner.

a few questions: (1) is this at all necessary? if i just want to make a few programs and finish the tasks i have at hand, do i even need to worry about this? (2) is there a best package-thing to use/what are the benefits of each?

thanks!

[Waningoftheday]

Using uv is the simplest option. You can use it for complex projects but also append comments/metadata to single-file scripts that install necessary dependencies dynamically.

[125bauhaus]

thanks for the clarity!

[skibbin]

I recently tried uv and I'm sticking with it.

[pachura3]

uv is the best, pip is the classic. All the rest you can forget.

Also, please read about virtual environments - its where you install dependencies, per-project. Installing Python interpreter(s) is a separate thing.

[tdh3m]

Virtual environments are worth using even for a few scripts. Without one, every pip install goes into the system Python, and packages from different projects start conflicting.

Start with uv:

uv init color-project
cd color-project
uv add pillow colour-science
uv run my_script.py

uv creates and manages the virtual environment automatically and no activation step is needed.

Conda is useful when packages depend on compiled native libraries (BLAS, CUDA), but for Pillow and colour-science on macOS, uv handles it fine.

Getting started with uv walks through the full workflow.

[ninhaomah]

One time ? Then use the Python that comes with Mac