/commands /pip/pip-show-package-version

pip show package: check the installed version of a Python package

updated 2026-10-23

tool: pip
versions: pip 20+
os: any

pip show requests prints the installed version of a package together with its summary, license, install location, the packages it requires and the installed packages that require it. When the package is not installed it prints WARNING: Package(s) not found and exits with code 1. Run it as python -m pip show to be sure you query the same Python that runs your code.

Show one package

bash

uv run -q --no-project --python 3.13 --with pip==25.2 --with requests==2.32.3 \
  python -m pip show --disable-pip-version-check requests | grep -E "^(Name|Version|Requires|Required-by):"

Output

Name: requests
Version: 2.32.3
Requires: certifi, charset-normalizer, idna, urllib3
Required-by:

The example creates a throwaway environment with uv that contains pip and requests; in your own environment the command is pip show requests. Requires lists the direct dependencies of requests, and Required-by is empty because nothing else installed depends on it. The full output also has Location, the site-packages folder the package lives in, which tells you which environment you looked at.

Missing package and exit code

bash

uv run -q --no-project --python 3.13 --with pip==25.2 \
  python -m pip show --disable-pip-version-check nosuchpackage

Output · exit 1

WARNING: Package(s) not found: nosuchpackage

Because the exit code is 1, pip show pkg > /dev/null 2>&1 || pip install pkg is a simple "install if missing" check in shell scripts.

Other ways to get the version

Command	What it prints
pip show requests	Version, location, Requires and Required-by
pip show -f requests	Also every file the package installed
pip show requests flask	Several packages, separated by ---
pip list	Every installed package with its version, as a table
pip freeze \| grep -i requests	The name==version line (findstr /i on Windows cmd)
python -c "import importlib.metadata as m; print(m.version('requests'))"	Only the version, from inside Python
pip index versions requests	Versions available on the index (experimental command)

Pitfalls

Several Pythons. pip on PATH may belong to another interpreter than python. Compare pip --version (it prints the Python it belongs to) with python --version, or always use python -m pip.
Distribution name vs import name. pip show takes the name you install (pyyaml, scikit-learn, pillow), not the module you import (yaml, sklearn, PIL). Names are case-insensitive, and -, _ and . are treated alike.
Installed but not importable. If pip show finds the package but import fails with ModuleNotFoundError, the code runs with a different interpreter or virtual environment.

How to confirm it worked

Version: is the version Python will import from that environment. Cross-check with the importlib.metadata one-liner above using the interpreter that runs your application; both must print the same number.

FAQ

pip show says the package is not found, but import works. Why?

The pip you ran belongs to a different Python than the one that runs your code. Use python -m pip show package with the same python you use to run the program, and the answer will match.

How do I check a version from inside Python?

Use importlib.metadata.version('requests'), available since Python 3.8. Many packages also have a __version__ attribute, but not all, and it is not guaranteed to match the installed metadata.

How do I see which versions of a package exist on PyPI?

pip index versions requests lists the versions available on the index (the command is marked experimental in pip's documentation).

Sources

commands · pippip freeze > requirements.txt: save installed packages to a requirements filepip freeze > requirements.txt saves every installed package as name==version so pip install -r recreates it. Options, venv rules and the pitfalls of pinning.commands · pippip list --outdated: find outdated Python packages and upgrade thempip list --outdated shows installed packages with a newer release and their latest version. Filter, get JSON, upgrade with pip install -U and avoid conflicts.errors · pythonModuleNotFoundError: No module named '…'Python raises ModuleNotFoundError when the package is not installed for the interpreter that runs your code. Check sys.executable, then install with -m pip.errors · pippip: ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement / No matching distribution foundpip prints No matching distribution found when no release fits the name, version, Python version or platform. Check spelling, versions, python version.