try – It’s never been easier to try Python packages

try is an easy-to-use cli tool to try out Python packages.

Features

Install specific package version from PyPI
Install package from GitHub
Install in virtualenv using specific version of python
Specify alternative python package import name
Keep try environment after interactive session
Launch interactive python console with already imported package
Launch editor instead of interpreter
Launch arbitrary python shell instead of default python shell

Usage

try requests
try requests --ipython
try requests --shell ptipython
try requests -p 3.5
try requests -p /usr/bin/python3.4.1
try requests==2.8.1
try kennethreitz/requests --ipython
try click-didyoumean:click_didyoumean  # if python package name is different then pip package name
try requests --editor

Usage examples

Note: most of the following cli options can also be configured in the configuration file!

Try single python package:

try requests
try flask

Try multiple python packages in one session:

try requests flask

Try specific version of a package:

try requests==2.8.1  # tries version 2.8.1 of requests instead of latest

Try package from GitHub repository:

try <user>/<repo>  # syntax example
try kennethreitz/requests  # installs master branch of Kenneth's requests package from GitHub

Try package but import with different name than package name:

try <package_name>:<import_name>  # syntax example
try click-didyoumean:click_didyoumean  # install click-didyoumean but import click_didyoumean

Try package in already existing virtualenv:

try requests --virtualenv ~/.try/sandbox  # use virtualenv at ~/.try/sandbox

⇢ see virtualenv config value in env section in configuration file.

Try package with specific python version:

try requests --python 3.5  # use python3.5 in virtualenv
try requests -p 2.7  # use python2.7 in virtualenv
try requests -p ~/work/cpython/bin/python  # use python binary from specific location

⇢ see python config value in env section in configuration file.

Try package with specific shell/repl:

try requests --shell python  # use python repl (default value)
try requests --shell ipython  # use ipython
try requests --shell ptpython  # use ptpython
try requests --shell ptipython  # use ptipython
try requests --shell bpython  # use bpython
try requests --ipython  # use ipython - an alias for --shell ipython

⇢ see shell config value in env section in configuration file.

Try package writing a little script instead of opening shell:

try requests --editor  # opens $EDITOR or editor instead of shell

⇢ see always_use_editor config value in env section in configuration file.

Keep virtualenv files after try run:

try requests --keep

⇢ see keep config value in env section in configuration file.

Use a specific location for the virtualenv files:

try requests --tmpdir ~/.try

⇢ see tmpdir config value in env section in configuration file.

Configuration

try can be configured to your preferences – like always use ipython as a shell or always use python3.5. The configuration file is located in your users application configuration directory in a file called config.ini. This location is OS dependent and is specified here: http://click.pocoo.org/5/api/#click.get_app_dir

The following config.ini file shows all available configuration options:

[env]
virtualenv=~/.try/sandbox
python=3.5
shell=ipython
keep=false
always_use_editor=false
tmpdir=~/.try

Installation

Use pip to install try:

pip3 install trypackage

Help

try comes with an awesome CLI interface thanks to click.

Usage: try [OPTIONS] [PACKAGES]...

  Easily try out python packages.

Options:
  --virtualenv TEXT  Use already existing virtualenv.
  -p, --python TEXT  The python version to use.
  --ipython          Use ipython instead of python.
  --shell TEXT       Specify the python shell to use. (This will override
                     --ipython
  -k, --keep         Keep try environment files.
  -e, --editor       Try with editor instead of interpreter.
  --tmpdir TEXT      Specify location for temporary directory.
  --version          Show the version and exit.
  --help             Show this message and exit.

try was inspired by https://github.com/VictorBjelkholm/trymodule.