How to use the command 'poetry' (with examples)

The ‘poetry’ command is a powerful tool for managing Python packages and dependencies. It allows you to create and manage Python projects, install and update dependencies, execute commands within the project’s virtual environment, and much more. In this article, we will explore various use cases of the ‘poetry’ command with examples.

Use case 1: Create a new Poetry project in the directory with a specific name

Code:

poetry new project_name

Motivation: Creating a new Poetry project is the first step in starting a Python project using Poetry. By providing a specific name for the project, you can ensure that it is easily recognizable and distinguishable from other projects.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ’new’: The subcommand to create a new Poetry project.
• ‘project_name’: The name you want to give to your new project. Replace it with the actual name you desire.

Example output:

Created package project_name in project_name

Use case 2: Install a dependency and its subdependencies

Code:

poetry add dependency

Motivation: When working on a Python project, you often need to install external libraries and dependencies to add additional functionality or features to your project. The ‘poetry add’ command allows you to easily install and manage these dependencies.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ‘add’: The subcommand to add a new dependency.
• ‘dependency’: The name of the dependency you want to install. Replace it with the actual dependency name you desire.

Example output:

Using version ^1.2.3 for dependency
Updating dependencies
Resolving dependencies... (0.1s)

Writing lock file

+ dependency (1.2.3)

Use case 3: Install a development dependency and its subdependencies

Code:

poetry add --group dev dependency

Motivation: In addition to regular dependencies, Python projects often have development dependencies that are used for tasks like testing, linting, or documentation generation. The ‘poetry add’ command with the ‘–group dev’ flag allows you to install and manage such development dependencies separately.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ‘add’: The subcommand to add a new dependency.
• ‘–group dev’: The flag to specify that the dependency being added is a development dependency.
• ‘dependency’: The name of the development dependency you want to install. Replace it with the actual dependency name you desire.

Example output:

Using version ^1.2.3 for dependency
Updating dependencies
Resolving dependencies... (0.1s)

Writing lock file

+ dependency (1.2.3)

Use case 4: Interactively initialize the current directory as a new Poetry project

Code:

poetry init

Motivation: If you already have an existing Python project in a directory, you can use the ‘poetry init’ command to interactively initialize it as a new Poetry project. This makes it easier to start using Poetry for managing the project’s dependencies.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ‘init’: The subcommand to interactively initialize a directory as a Poetry project.

Example output:

This command will guide you through creating your pyproject.toml config.

Package name [<directory_name>]:
Version [0.1.0]:
...

Use case 5: Get the latest version of all dependencies and update poetry.lock

Code:

poetry update

Motivation: Over time, new versions of dependencies may be released, containing bug fixes or new features. The ‘poetry update’ command allows you to update your project’s dependencies to the latest available versions.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ‘update’: The subcommand to update all dependencies to the latest available versions.

Example output:

Updating dependencies
Resolving dependencies... (0.1s)

Writing lock file

Use case 6: Execute a command inside the project’s virtual environment

Code:

poetry run command

Motivation: When working with Python projects, it is common to execute various commands or scripts that are specific to the project. The ‘poetry run’ command allows you to execute these commands within the project’s virtual environment, ensuring that the correct dependencies and environment variables are used.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ‘run’: The subcommand to execute a command within the project’s virtual environment.
• ‘command’: The command you want to execute. Replace it with the actual command you desire.

Example output:

Output of the executed command

Use case 7: Bump the minor version of the project in pyproject.toml

Code:

poetry version minor

Motivation: When working on a project, you might want to increment the version of the project for various reasons, such as releasing a new version or documenting changes. The ‘poetry version’ command allows you to easily bump the version of the project in the ‘pyproject.toml’ file.

Explanation:

• ‘poetry’: The command to interact with the Poetry tool.
• ‘version’: The subcommand to bump the version of the project.
• ‘minor’: The argument to specify that the minor version should be incremented. You can also use ‘major’ or ‘patch’ to increment other parts of the version.

Example output:

Bumping version from 1.2.3 to 1.3.0

Conclusion:

The ‘poetry’ command is a versatile tool for managing Python packages and dependencies. It allows you to easily create and manage Python projects, install and update dependencies, execute commands within the project’s virtual environment, and more. By leveraging the various use cases of the ‘poetry’ command outlined in this article, you can streamline your Python development process and ensure smooth project management.