Like git, the pyenv command delegates to subcommands based on its
first argument.
The most common subcommands are:
pyenv commandspyenv localpyenv globalpyenv shellpyenv installpyenv uninstallpyenv rehashpyenv versionpyenv versionspyenv whichpyenv whence
Lists all available pyenv commands.
Sets a local application-specific Python version by writing the version
name to a .python-version file in the current directory. This version
overrides the global version, and can be overridden itself by setting
the PYENV_VERSION environment variable or with the pyenv shell
command.
$ pyenv local 2.7.6
When run without a version number, pyenv local reports the currently
configured local version. You can also unset the local version:
$ pyenv local --unset
Previous versions of pyenv stored local version specifications in a
file named .pyenv-version. For backwards compatibility, pyenv will
read a local version specified in an .pyenv-version file, but a
.python-version file in the same directory will take precedence.
You can specify multiple versions as local Python at once.
Let's say if you have two versions of 2.7.6 and 3.3.3. If you prefer 2.7.6 over 3.3.3,
$ pyenv local 2.7.6 3.3.3
$ pyenv versions
system
* 2.7.6 (set by /Users/yyuu/path/to/project/.python-version)
* 3.3.3 (set by /Users/yyuu/path/to/project/.python-version)
$ python --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python2.7 --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3.3 --version
Python 3.3.3
or, if you prefer 3.3.3 over 2.7.6,
$ pyenv local 3.3.3 2.7.6
$ pyenv versions
system
* 2.7.6 (set by /Users/yyuu/path/to/project/.python-version)
* 3.3.3 (set by /Users/yyuu/path/to/project/.python-version)
venv27
$ python --version
Python 3.3.3
$ python2.7 --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3.3 --version
Python 3.3.3
Sets the global version of Python to be used in all shells by writing
the version name to the ~/.pyenv/version file. This version can be
overridden by an application-specific .python-version file, or by
setting the PYENV_VERSION environment variable.
$ pyenv global 2.7.6
The special version name system tells pyenv to use the system Python
(detected by searching your $PATH).
When run without a version number, pyenv global reports the
currently configured global version.
You can specify multiple versions as global Python at once.
Let's say if you have two versions of 2.7.6 and 3.3.3. If you prefer 2.7.6 over 3.3.3,
$ pyenv global 2.7.6 3.3.3
$ pyenv versions
system
* 2.7.6 (set by /Users/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
* 3.3.3 (set by /Users/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
$ python --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python2.7 --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3.3 --version
Python 3.3.3
or, if you prefer 3.3.3 over 2.7.6,
$ pyenv global 3.3.3 2.7.6
$ pyenv versions
system
* 2.7.6 (set by /Users/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
* 3.3.3 (set by /Users/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
venv27
$ python --version
Python 3.3.3
$ python2.7 --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3.3 --version
Python 3.3.3
Sets a shell-specific Python version by setting the PYENV_VERSION
environment variable in your shell. This version overrides
application-specific versions and the global version.
$ pyenv shell pypy-2.2.1
When run without a version number, pyenv shell reports the current
value of PYENV_VERSION. You can also unset the shell version:
$ pyenv shell --unset
Note that you'll need pyenv's shell integration enabled (step 3 of
the installation instructions) in order to use this command. If you
prefer not to use shell integration, you may simply set the
PYENV_VERSION variable yourself:
$ export PYENV_VERSION=pypy-2.2.1
You can specify multiple versions via PYENV_VERSION at once.
Let's say if you have two versions of 2.7.6 and 3.3.3. If you prefer 2.7.6 over 3.3.3,
$ pyenv shell 2.7.6 3.3.3
$ pyenv versions
system
* 2.7.6 (set by PYENV_VERSION environment variable)
* 3.3.3 (set by PYENV_VERSION environment variable)
$ python --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python2.7 --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3.3 --version
Python 3.3.3
or, if you prefer 3.3.3 over 2.7.6,
$ pyenv shell 3.3.3 2.7.6
$ pyenv versions
system
* 2.7.6 (set by PYENV_VERSION environment variable)
* 3.3.3 (set by PYENV_VERSION environment variable)
venv27
$ python --version
Python 3.3.3
$ python2.7 --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3.3 --version
Python 3.3.3
Install a Python version (using python-build).
Usage: pyenv install [-f] [-kvp] <version>
pyenv install [-f] [-kvp] <definition-file>
pyenv install -l|--list
-l/--list List all available versions
-f/--force Install even if the version appears to be installed already
python-build options:
-k/--keep Keep source tree in $PYENV_BUILD_ROOT after installation
(defaults to $PYENV_ROOT/sources)
-v/--verbose Verbose mode: print compilation status to stdout
-p/--patch Apply a patch from stdin before building
-g/--debug Build a debug version
Uninstall a specific Python version.
Usage: pyenv uninstall [-f|--force] <version>
-f Attempt to remove the specified version without prompting
for confirmation. If the version does not exist, do not
display an error message.
Installs shims for all Python binaries known to pyenv (i.e.,
~/.pyenv/versions/*/bin/*). Run this command after you install a new
version of Python, or install a package that provides binaries.
$ pyenv rehash
Displays the currently active Python version, along with information on how it was set.
$ pyenv version
2.7.6 (set by /home/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
Lists all Python versions known to pyenv, and shows an asterisk next to the currently active version.
$ pyenv versions
2.5.6
2.6.8
* 2.7.6 (set by /home/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
3.3.3
jython-2.5.3
pypy-2.2.1
Displays the full path to the executable that pyenv will invoke when you run the given command.
$ pyenv which python3.3
/home/yyuu/.pyenv/versions/3.3.3/bin/python3.3
Lists all Python versions with the given command installed.
$ pyenv whence 2to3
2.6.8
2.7.6
3.3.3
Part of Python-build, this installs versions of python
$ pyenv install 2.7.6
$ pyenv install 2.6.8
$ pyenv versions
system
2.6.8
* 2.7.6 (set by /home/yyuu/.pyenv/version)
List available remote versions of Python, including Anaconda, Jython, pypy, and stackless
$ pyenv install --list