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sudo easy_install pip

Searching for pip
Best match: pip 1.4.1
Processing pip-1.4.1-py2.7.egg
pip 1.4.1 is already the active version in easy-install.pth
Installing pip script to /home/nyzlfc/.local/bin
Installing pip-2.7 script to /home/nyzlfc/.local/bin
Using /home/nyzlfc/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pip-1.4.1-py2.7.egg
Processing dependencies for pip
Finished processing dependencies for pip

And then when I run

sudo pip install -U pyyaml nltk

I get:

sudo: pip: command not found
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9 Answers 9

Reset to default
57

If you install pip from the Ubuntu repositories pip will work with sudo (I have used pip this way on 12.04 through to 14.04).

sudo apt-get install python-pip
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  • 6
    You dont always need to use sudo to install python modules. you can scope them to your user using pip install --user ipdb (for example) - from there, they are installed to ~/.local/lib/python-ver/ and the bins are placed in ~/.local/bin/ so add ~/.local/bin to your $PATH and you're g2g with non-sudo use of pip.
    – lazyPower
    Jun 26, 2014 at 0:09
  • Good point, I was working on the fact the question was using sudo, that installing with sudo was desired. I generally do as my code is used by different users on the same system
    – NGRhodes
    Jun 26, 2014 at 10:01
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    This is not working for me, Ubuntu 20.0.4
    – Conjecture
    Aug 4, 2020 at 22:52
  • 4
    20.04 use this sudo apt install python3-pip, then use pip3 install xxx to install your packages
    – Ng Sek Long
    Jan 19, 2021 at 12:56
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Your pip is installed in /home/nyzlfc/.local/bin, which is not in the sudo path and with a good reason. Just add ~/.local/bin to your path and step away of sudo as it's unnecessary.

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10

I had the same problem, and the reason I had this problem (on Debian) is that I installed python3.2 and python3-pip and as such, I really didn't have a pip executable, I also didn't have a pip3 executable. I have pip-3.2 executable.

As such I would also recommend doing:

sudo pip

and then pressing the tab to see the autocomplete options.

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  • 1
    +1 sudo pip and then pressing tab to see the autocomplete options... did the job for me.
    – Almir Campos
    Mar 24, 2018 at 1:16
  • 1
    You saved my day. Thanks a ton for the answer
    – Dinesh Singh
    Jul 28, 2021 at 21:29
3

First check your $PATH variable using the echo command:

$ echo $PATH

If /usr/local/bin is missing, edit the hidden file .profile, located in your home directory. If this file is missing, edit .bash_profile instead.

Add as very last PATH statement the following line:

PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin
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I always forgetting it myself!

  • I installed pip into ~/.local/bin
  • when doing a pip install package, I get a PermissionDenied somewhere in /usr/local/share/, with the friendly solution Consider using the '--user' option or check the permissions.

Hence, do: pip install --user package (unless you need this package globally/for other users as well)

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1

I had the same problem (also trying to install yaml) and

sudo pip3 install yaml

worked for me!

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1

Instead of doing pip install <package name>

Try pip3 install <package name>

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0

If you don't like to install new package (to make sure it doesn't mess with your current python environment), I suggest switching to root just for installation. I found it easier. But don't forget to switch back, right after you finished installation.

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0

if you have installed in python3 then you can do is python3 -m pip install package_name

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