Efficient Python Project Dependencies: Methods

Suhas Adhav -

Python, a versatile and powerful programming language, offers different tools and methods to manage project dependencies. Whether you're working on a small script or a large-scale application, the ability to control the libraries and packages your project relies on is crucial. In this blog post, we'll explore various methods for managing Python project dependencies, each with its own strengths and use cases.

Table of contents

Using Pip and a Requirements File

A requirements file is a straightforward yet effective method for specifying and managing your project's dependencies. It's particularly useful when sharing your project with others or deploying it to different environments. Here's how to create and use a requirements file:

  • Activate your Python virtual environment, where you've already configured all the essential Python packages for your project.
  • Run pip freeze command to list out packages and store these packages in requirements file (requirements.txt) 
pip freeze > requirements.txt
  • You can utilize the requirements.txt file to install all the packages along with their project dependencies by using pip install command.
pip install -r requirements.txt

This way makes it easier to copy your setup to other environments or share the tools your project needs. PIP is a handy tool for any developer to have in their toolbox. You can check out more on PIP commands here.

Using Poetry

Poetry is a new and user-friendly tool for Python. It helps manage the things your project relies on and package your work. It uses a pyproject.toml file to keep track of what your project needs. Here's how you can use Poetry:

  • Install Poetry globally on your machine usingpip install poetry
  • Create new project using 
poetry new myproject
  • Edit the pyproject.toml file to list your project's dependencies:
[tool.poetry.dependencies]
python = "^3.8"
requests = "^2.25.1"
numpy = "^1.21.0"
  • Install dependencies using poetry install command.

You have the option to upload these files to your Git repositories and manage dependencies during the build process.