How to install pip on CentOS / RHEL / Ubuntu / Debian

The pip command is a tool for installing and managing Python packages, such as those found in the Python Package Index. It’s a replacement for easy_install. pip is very useful for web development as well as for sys-admins who manages cloud computing based resources created Openstack, Rackspace, AWS, Google and other cloud computing service providers.

It performs the same basic job as easy install, but with some extra features. It can work with version control repositories (currently only Git, Mercurial, and Bazaar repositories), logs output extensively, and prevents partial installs by downloading all requirements before starting installation.

It has some disadvantages when compared to easy install. It does not use egg files, although it does preserve egg metadata. Some setup tools features are not yet supported, and some custom setup.py features won´t work.

Install pip on CentOS / RHEL

First install the EPEL repo as per your Operating system version and architecture.
For RHEL 7.x and CentOS 7.x (x86_64)

To install PIP in RHEL/CentOS 7.x use following commends,

# yum install epel-release  (if you are getting failed, use next step or skip it.)

Step 1a: Install pip from EPEL for RHEL/CentOS 7.x

# wget -r –no-parent -A ‘epel-release-*.rpm’    http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/7/x86_64/e/

# rpm -Uvh dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/7/x86_64/e/epel-release-*.rpm

For RHEL 6.x and CentOS 6.x (x86_64)

# rpm -ivh http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm

For RHEL 6.x and CentOS 6.x (i386)

# rpm -ivh http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/i386/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm

Installing pip with yum command

Now install pip with yum command

# yum install -y python-pip

The pip rpm will be installed. You can confirm it by using following command.
See below given reference :

[root@foxutech ~]# which pip

/bin/pip

[root@foxutech ~]# whereis pip

pip: /usr/bin/pip /usr/bin/pip2.7

[root@foxutech ~]# rpm -qa|grep pip

python-pip-1.3.1-4.el6.noarch

Alternate method:

Install Pip with Curl and Python

We can also use curl and python to download and install Pip.

# curl "https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py" -o "get-pip.py" # python get-pip.py

Install pip on Debian / Ubuntu

Install the pip by using apt-get command

# apt-get update

# apt-get install python-pip

To confirm the package installation.Given below is the reference from my system

root@foxuntu:~# sudo dpkg -l|grep pip

ii  python-pip                       1.5.4-1ubuntu4                   all          alternative Python package installer

ii  python-pip-whl                   1.5.4-1ubuntu4                   all          alternative Python package installer

root@foxuntu:~# which pip

/usr/bin/pip

How to use pip

After installing python-pip package, the pip command will be available on system.
There are multiple options available with pip command.

Most commonly we used for install and uninstall of python package.

For installing package with pip command

Use below given syntax:

# pip install python.package.name

For uninstalling package with pip command

Use below given syntax

# pip uninstall python.package.name

To Search available packages

# pip search openstack

Use –help switch along with pip command, to get more options.

root@foxuntu:~# pip –help

Usage:

pip <command></command> [options]

Commands:

install                     Install packages.

uninstall                   Uninstall packages.

freeze                      Output installed packages in requirements format.

list                        List installed packages.

show                        Show information about installed packages.

search                      Search PyPI for packages.

wheel                       Build wheels from your requirements.

zip                         DEPRECATED. Zip individual packages.

unzip                       DEPRECATED. Unzip individual packages.

bundle                      DEPRECATED. Create pybundles.

help                        Show help for commands.

General Options:

-h, –help                  Show help.

-v, –verbose               Give more output. Option is additive, and can be used up to 3 times.

-V, –version               Show version and exit.

-q, –quiet                 Give less output.

–log-file            Path to a verbose non-appending log, that only logs failures. This

log is active by default at /home/sharad/.pip/pip.log.

–log                 Path to a verbose appending log. This log is inactive by default.

–proxy              Specify a proxy in the form [user:passwd@]proxy.server:port.

–timeout              Set the socket timeout (default 15 seconds).

–exists-action     Default action when a path already exists: (s)witch, (i)gnore,

(w)ipe, (b)ackup.

–cert                Path to alternate CA bundle.

root@foxuntu:~#