Introduction
scoop is a centralized Python virtual environment manager powered by uv.
One scoop, endless envs — pyenv-style workflow with uv’s blazing speed.
What is scoop?
Think of it like running an ice cream parlor:
- The Freezer (
~/.scoop/) keeps all your flavors fresh - Flavors are your virtualenvs — mix once, serve anywhere
- One scoop is all you need to get the right env
| The Old Way | The scoop Way |
|---|---|
.venv scattered across projects | ~/.scoop/virtualenvs/ centralized |
Manual source .venv/bin/activate | Auto-activate on directory entry |
| pyenv-virtualenv is slow | uv-powered, 100x+ faster |
| Which Python? Which venv? Chaos. | scoop doctor checks everything |
Quick Example
# Install Python
scoop install 3.12
# Create a virtualenv
scoop create myproject 3.12
# Use it (auto-activates!)
scoop use myproject
(myproject) $ pip install requests
# Check what's available
scoop list
Features
- Fast — Powered by uv, virtualenv creation is nearly instant
- Centralized — All environments live in
~/.scoop/virtualenvs/ - Auto-activation — Enter a directory, environment activates automatically
- Shell integration — Works with bash and zsh
- pyenv compatible — Reads
.python-versionfiles - Health checks —
scoop doctordiagnoses your setup
Getting Started
Ready to scoop? Head to the Installation guide to get started.