uv is a project manager that can be used to install python and keep track of your python packages.

uv is slightly different than a package manager like conda or pip, because it keeps track of these things for each project you have, each folder of python code that is supposed to work together. (this is just like conda plus venv).

installing uv

The easiest way to install uv is to download VSCode open it and try to save a python file (e.g. test.py). VSCode will notice that you have no python installed an offer to install uv. Click Yes and that’s it. Then close VSCode. Note this only works if you haven’t installed python in the past by another means. If you have you can remove it and try with VSCode again. If that won’t work you can use
for Mac/Linux

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh


or for Windows

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"