Can I force pip to reinstall the current version?

Package reinstallation for troublers

When reinstalling a specific version of a package, you specify the version number with ==:

pip install <package>==<current_version> --force-reinstall --no-cache-dir
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It's like a time machine, going back to <current_version> to reinstall it.

The "I don't care it's already installed" flag

Sometimes you need to force reinstall the current version. That's where --ignore-installed comes in handy:

pip install <package> --ignore-installed
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This command is the package manager equivalent of “I don’t care if it’s there, get me a new one”.

Safe reinstalling in virtual environments

Virtual environments are safer to manage dependencies. To force reinstall in virtual environments without messing up with system packages, the command goes like this:

pip install <package> --force-reinstall --no-cache-dir --ignore-installed
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Keep the dependencies in check

For a package with heavy dependencies, like our friend Numpy, you might not want to drop the whole universe. You can use the --no-deps flag:

pip install <package> --force-reinstall --no-deps
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# "I like you Numpy, but I don't like your friends."

A fresh start for multiple packages

When you have a requirements.txt file and need to reinstall all the listed packages, add --ignore-installed trigger:

pip install -r requirements.txt --ignore-installed
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This is like saying, “Hey, packages, it’s not you, it’s me. I need a fresh start.”

sudo: the double-edged sword

Running pip with sudo needs caution. You might think you're the king/queen of the world, but you might end up installing packages system-wide which is not always "the best idea ever":

sudo pip3 install <package> --force-reinstall --no-cache-dir --ignore-installed
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# "With great power, comes great responsibility." - Uncle Ben, probably 

Reinstalling all: the nuclear option

Meeting issues? Angular isn't React? Consider starting anew with a comprehensive reinstall of all packages:

pip freeze | grep -v "^-e" | cut -d = -f 1 | xargs pip install --force-reinstall --no-cache-dir
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# "Who needs stability when we've got pip?"

No-cache, no-problem

To avoid using cached packages, utilize --no-cache-dir. This confirms you're getting the package from the source, fresh and untouched.

pip install <package> --no-cache-dir --force-reinstall
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