pip 26.2 Adds `--only-deps` for Runtime Dependency Installs by End of July
Updated
Updated · InfoWorld · Jul 23
pip 26.2 Adds `--only-deps` for Runtime Dependency Installs by End of July
2 articles · Updated · InfoWorld · Jul 23
Summary
pip 26.2 will add pip install --only-deps, letting developers install a package’s runtime dependencies without installing the package itself.
That closes a long-standing gap that forced users to extract dependency lists manually, rely on third-party tools, or build the full package just to get required libraries.
The new flag is limited to runtime dependencies and will not pull in build dependencies, which still matter in cases such as CI source-distribution workflows using tools like Cython.
pip 26.2 is scheduled for release by the end of July 2026, bringing a native option that mirrors behavior already available in external tools such as uv sync --no-install-project.