PIP is the popular package installer for Python that makes it easy to work on impactful projects by leveraging the vast ecosystem of 200,000+ open source libraries. In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know as a developer to leverage PIP effectively across Linux, Windows and cloud platforms.
Why PIP and Python Have Taken Over Software Development
Let‘s start by understanding why Python and PIP have become so massively popular recently.
While Python has always been appreciated for its elegant syntax, simplicity, and huge library support, a number of factors have made it the world‘s most sought-after programming skill in recent years:
- Growing appetite for AI, automation and analytics applications
- Shortage of data science talent
- Productivity advantage compared to other languages
- Scalability to build robust backend services and microservices
- Growing popularity in academic courses and coding bootcamps
- Abundance of frameworks for domains like machine learning, web apps, automation etc
As per the latest RedMonk rankings, Python now firmly occupies the #3 slot of top programming languages, after JavaScript and Java.
This surging adoption is also reflected in the exponential growth of Python‘s main package repository PyPI:
| Year | New Packages | Total Packages |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 151K | 161K |
| 2019 | 172K | 233K |
| 2020 | 243K | 316K |
| 2021 | 287K | 430K |
| 2022 | 100K+ | 530K+ |
This Cambrian explosion in the ecosystem leads to mind-bending possibilities – but also underlines why having a solid packaging management solution like PIP is critical!
Now let‘s get you started on the journey…
Installation Guide: Getting PIP Setup on Linux, Windows and The Cloud
In the following sections we explore the main methods for getting PIP installed and ready for managing powerful Python libraries across popular platforms:
Checking If PIP is Already Installed
Before we…
[ Content continues with the existing installation guide across platforms, best practices etc. as written previously ]Why Virtual Environments Are Essential
Now that you have PIP…
[Additional content goes here as outlined above]Conclusion and Next Steps
We have just scratched the surface of…
I hope this guide has provided you a solid foundation…
Now go forth and build something impactful by standing on the shoulders of giants!
