pip-tools

Summary

pip-tools is a free pair of command-line tools for managing pinned pip-based dependencies: pip-compile and pip-sync. pip-compile creates requirements.txt files from pyproject.toml, setup.cfg, setup.py, or requirements.in; it can also handle project and optional dependencies declared in pyproject.toml and generate hashes for pip hash-checking mode. pip-sync installs, upgrades, or removes packages to make a virtual environment match a compiled requirements.txt file. Project defaults can be set in .pip-tools.toml or pyproject.toml, and pip-compile can run as a pre-commit hook. The tools support Linux, macOS, and Windows, and the package requires Python 3.9 or later. Compilation can produce different results depending on the operating system, Python version, and implementation. For that reason, the project advises compiling separately for each target environment. The backtracking resolver is the default; the legacy resolver is deprecated. pip-tools is distributed under the BSD License.

Who it is for

It suits developers and system administrators who manage pip dependencies and want to synchronize virtual environments with compiled requirements. It can also help teams maintain separate dependency files for different target environments.

Compared on Python package managers

Free plan

Yespip-tools.readthedocs.io

Lockfile support

Yespip-tools.readthedocs.io

Environment management

Nopip-tools.readthedocs.io

Dependency groups

Yespip-tools.readthedocs.io

Supported platforms

cross-platformpip-tools.readthedocs.io

Facts

Purpose

pip-tools is a set of command-line tools that keeps pinned pip-based packages fresh and helps make builds predictable and deterministic.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Core commands

The project consists of pip-compile and pip-sync.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Dependency compilation

pip-compile creates requirements.txt files from pyproject.toml, setup.cfg, setup.py, or requirements.in.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Environment synchronization

pip-sync installs, upgrades, and uninstalls packages so a virtual environment matches a compiled requirements.txt file.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Packaging integrations

pip-compile supports pyproject.toml projects and can pin dependencies for Setuptools, Hatch, and flit.github.com · 1 Oct 2026

Pre-commit integration

pip-compile can be used as a pre-commit hook.github.com · 1 Oct 2026

Configuration

Project-level defaults can be configured in .pip-tools.toml or pyproject.toml.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Reproducibility limit

pip-compile can produce different requirements.txt results for different operating systems, Python versions, and Python implementations.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Supported Python

The PyPI package requires Python >=3.9 and lists CPython and PyPy classifiers for Python 3.9 through 3.14.pypi.org · 1 Oct 2026

License

pip-tools is distributed under the BSD License and has an OS Independent classifier on PyPI.pypi.org · 1 Oct 2026

Security reporting

Jazzband asks users to report security issues privately by email to [email protected] rather than opening public issues or pull requests.github.com · 1 Oct 2026

Security advisories

The GitHub security page states that there are no published security advisories.github.com · 1 Oct 2026

Audience

PyPI classifies the project for developers and system administrators.pypi.org · 1 Oct 2026

Resolver limit

The legacy resolver is deprecated, while the backtracking resolver is the default and is described as more robust but generally slower.github.com · 1 Oct 2026

Maintainer model

pip-tools is a Jazzband project.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Requirement compilation

pip-compile generates requirements.txt from pyproject.toml, setup.cfg, setup.py, or requirements.in.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Pyproject support

pip-compile supports project dependencies and optional dependencies declared in pyproject.toml.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Hash security

pip-compile can generate hashes for pip hash-checking mode with the --generate-hashes flag.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Cross-environment limit

Because dependencies can vary by operating system, Python version, and implementation, users should run pip-compile separately for each targeted environment.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Resolver behavior

The backtracking resolver is the default and is more robust, while the legacy resolver is deprecated and may take less predictable paths.pip-tools.readthedocs.io · 1 Oct 2026

Supported audience

PyPI classifies pip-tools for developers and system administrators.pypi.org · 1 Oct 2026

Release provenance

PyPI says the release was uploaded using Trusted Publishing and has a GitHub Actions signature and attestation.pypi.org · 1 Oct 2026

Where it ranks on Everything Xiaomi

• Best Python Package Managers in 2026#4 of 27

Sources

• pip-tools.readthedocs.io/en/stable/· checked 1 Oct 2026
• github.com/jazzband/pip-tools· checked 1 Oct 2026
• pip-tools.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/configuration/· checked 1 Oct 2026
• pypi.org/project/pip-tools/· checked 1 Oct 2026
• github.com/jazzband/pip-tools/security· checked 1 Oct 2026
• pip-tools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/contributing/· checked 1 Oct 2026
• pip-tools.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/pip-compile/· checked 1 Oct 2026