uvx --from PKG CMD: run a tool whose command name differs from the package

Q: Is uvx the same as uv tool run?

Yes. uvx is an alias of uv tool run with identical options. Both run the tool in a cached, isolated environment that is separate from any project.

Q: How do I run a specific version with uvx?

Use the @ shorthand when the command and package share a name (uvx ruff@0.8.0 check), or --from with any specifier (uvx --from 'ruff==0.8.0' ruff check). uvx ruff@latest forces a check for the newest release.

Q: How do I add a plugin to a tool run with uvx?

Use --with: uvx --with mkdocs-material mkdocs build installs the plugin into the same temporary environment as the tool.

updated 2026-10-24

tool: uv
command: uvx (uv tool run)
flag: --from PKG[SPEC], --with PKG
default: the package with the same name as the command

uvx ruff check downloads the package ruff into a cached, isolated environment and runs its ruff command, because uvx assumes the command and the package have the same name. When they differ, or when you need a version, extras or a Git source, name the package with --from: uvx --from httpie http example.org, uvx --from 'mypy==1.13.0' dmypy. uvx is short for uv tool run, and nothing is installed into your project or global Python.

Same name, version pin and --from

bash

echo "--- uvx ruff@0.8.0"
uvx -q ruff@0.8.0 --version
echo "--- uvx --from ruff==0.8.0 ruff"
uvx -q --from ruff==0.8.0 ruff --version
echo "--- a command from the mypy package"
uvx -q --from mypy==1.13.0 dmypy --version

Output

--- uvx ruff@0.8.0
ruff 0.8.0
--- uvx --from ruff==0.8.0 ruff
ruff 0.8.0
--- a command from the mypy package
dmypy 1.13.0

dmypy, the mypy daemon client, is a command shipped inside the mypy package; --from mypy==... tells uvx which package provides it. All three runs use cached environments, so repeating them is fast and works offline once the packages are cached.

Forms of --from

Command	Meaning
uvx ruff	Package ruff, command ruff, latest cached or newest version
uvx ruff@0.8.0	Shorthand for an exact version when the names match
uvx ruff@latest	Always check for the newest release
uvx --from 'ruff>=0.8,<0.9' ruff	Any version specifier
uvx --from 'mypy[reports]' mypy	Package with extras
uvx --from git+https://github.com/org/tool tool	Directly from a Git repository
uvx --from ./path/to/tool tool	From a local project
uvx --with plugin tool	Add more packages to the tool environment

uvx versus uv tool install versus uv run

uvx (uv tool run) runs once in a cached environment; nothing lands on PATH.
uv tool install ruff installs the command permanently on PATH, like pipx.
uv run runs inside the project environment. Use it for tools that need to import your code, such as pytest or mypy with project dependencies; add one-off packages with uv run --with.

Pitfalls

When the command is not provided by the package, uvx says so and lists the commands the package does provide; the fix is the right --from package.
Options for uvx go before the command; options after it belong to the tool (uvx ruff check --fix).
uvx environments do not see project dependencies. A type checker run with uvx mypy cannot resolve imports of packages that only your project installs; use uv run mypy for that.
A bare uvx tool reuses a cached version; add @latest (or --refresh) when you need the newest release.

FAQ

Is uvx the same as uv tool run?