pip-rns¶

pip-rns resolves a remote (or alias, index name, discovery hit, or local wheel), then hands the artifact to pip, pipx, uv, or poetry.

pipx-rns is the same flow with pipx as the default backend, plus inject.

Install shapes¶

Bare remote (install is implied):

pip-rns rns://identity/group/repo

Explicit install with a tag:

pip-rns install rns://identity/group/repo --ref v1.0.0
# same idea
pipx-rns install identity/group/repo@v1.0.0

Prefer a release wheel (no build step):

pip-rns install --from-release rns://identity/group/repo --ref v1.0.0

Force a source clone:

pip-rns install --from-source rns://identity/group/repo
# short form
pip-rns install -s rns://identity/group/repo

Require a release wheel or fail:

pip-rns install --require-release rns://identity/group/repo --ref v1.0.0

Branch-like refs such as @master or @main clone from source automatically.

Local wheels¶

After pip-rns export or a USB mirror:

pip-rns install /media/usb/pkg-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl
pip-rns install /media/usb/mirror

Backends¶

Default is pip. Switch with a flag:

pip-rns install --pipx identity/group/repo
pip-rns install --uv identity/group/repo
pip-rns install --poetry identity/group/repo

Or use the pipx entry point:

pipx-rns install identity/group/repo
pipx-rns inject my-app identity/group/repo

Flags after -- go to the backend:

pip-rns install identity/group/repo -- --break-system-packages
pip-rns install --poetry identity/group/repo -- --dev
pipx-rns install identity/group/repo -- --force

Releases¶

List and inspect:

pip-rns release list rns://identity/group/repo
pip-rns release view rns://identity/group/repo v1.0.0

Export wheels for USB:

pip-rns export rns://identity/group/repo --ref v1.0.0 -o /media/usb/mirror

Signed releases fail closed unless verification succeeds. Pass --insecure only when you knowingly skip that check. See trust.

Offline and cache¶

Use cache and local paths only (no RNS fetch):

pip-rns install --offline rns://identity/group/repo

RNS source installs reuse ~/.local/share/pip-rns/cache when possible. Set PIP_RNS_NO_CACHE=1 to force a fresh temp clone.

Editable checkout:

pip-rns install --editable rns://identity/group/repo

Destinations and venvs¶

pip-rns install identity/group/repo --venv /path/to/venv --remember-venv
pip-rns venv list
pip-rns venv set default /path/to/venv
pip-rns venv forget default

Update, list, uninstall¶

pip-rns update rns://identity/group/repo
pip-rns update rns://identity/group/repo --from-release --ref v1.2.0
pip-rns update rns://identity/group/repo --venv .venv
pip-rns list
pip-rns uninstall some-package

pip-rns update is a fresh reinstall from the remote (same options as install). Prefer --from-release when a wheel exists.

Add --pipx, --uv, or --poetry when the install used that backend.

Bundles via pip-rns¶

pip-rns bundle install lxmfy-bundle@v1.0.0 --signer e46112d44649266d71fe2193e00a4710
pip-rns bundle verify ./my-bundle.opip --require-signature

Non-interactive / CI¶

pip-rns --no-interactive install rns://identity/group/repo --from-release --ref v1.0.0 -y

Or set PIP_RNS_NO_INTERACTIVE=1 or CI=1.

Environment¶

PIP_RNS_PIP             pip command (default pip)
PIP_RNS_PIPX            pipx command
PIP_RNS_UV              uv command
PIP_RNS_POETRY          poetry command
PIP_RNS_CONFIG          config directory for aliases and trust
PIP_RNS_USE_CACHE       set to 1 to enable cache
PIP_RNS_COLOR           auto, always, or never
PIP_RNS_NO_INTERACTIVE  disable prompts
NO_COLOR / FORCE_COLOR  standard color controls

Config lives under ~/.config/pip-rns/ (or %APPDATA%/pip-rns on Windows).

Command map¶

pip-rns [install] <remote> [options]
pip-rns browse | search | discover | export | trust | alias | index
pip-rns release | venv | bundle | doctor | completion | help | update
pip-rns list | uninstall

For short names, aliases, and indexes, see discovery.