> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/prefix-dev/pixi/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# pixi global install

> Install packages globally

Installs packages in globally accessible environments and exposes their command-line applications. This is similar to `pipx` or `condax` for conda packages.

## Usage

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install [OPTIONS] <PACKAGE>...
```

**Alias:** `pixi g install`, `pixi g i`

## Arguments

<ParamField path="PACKAGE" type="string" required>
  Package(s) to install. Can be:

  * Package name: `python`
  * Package with version: `python==3.12`
  * Package with version constraint: `python>=3.11,<3.13`
  * Local path: `/path/to/package` or `./relative/path`
  * URL: `https://example.com/package.tar.bz2`
</ParamField>

## Options

<ParamField path="--channel" type="string" shorthand="c">
  The channels to consider as a name or URL.

  Multiple channels can be specified by using this field multiple times.

  By default, if no channel is provided, `conda-forge` is used.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--platform" type="string" shorthand="p">
  The platform to install the packages for.

  This is useful when you want to install packages for a different platform than the one you are currently on. Often used to install `osx-64` packages on `osx-arm64`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--environment" type="string" shorthand="e">
  Install all packages in the same environment.

  By default, each package gets its own environment named after the package.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--expose" type="mapping">
  Add one or more mappings describing which executables are exposed.

  Syntax: `exposed_name=executable_name` or just `executable_name`

  Example: `--expose python3.10=python`
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--with" type="string">
  Add additional dependencies to the environment.

  Their executables will not be exposed.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--force-reinstall" type="boolean">
  Force reinstall the environment even if it already exists.
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--no-shortcuts" type="boolean">
  Do not create shortcuts (desktop/start menu entries) for the installed packages.

  Alias: `--no-shortcut`
</ParamField>

## Examples

### Install a single package

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install cowpy
```

This installs `cowpy` in its own environment and exposes its executables.

### Install multiple packages

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install starship nushell ripgrep bat
```

Each package is installed in a separate environment.

### Install with additional dependencies

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install jupyter --with polars
```

Installs `jupyter` with `polars` as an additional dependency, but only exposes `jupyter` executables.

### Install with custom exposed names

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --expose python3.8=python python=3.8
```

Installs Python 3.8 and exposes it as `python3.8`.

### Install multiple packages in one environment

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --environment science --expose jupyter --expose ipython jupyter ipython polars
```

Installs all packages in an environment named "science" and only exposes `jupyter` and `ipython`.

### Install from a specific channel

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --channel conda-forge --channel bioconda samtools
```

### Install a specific version

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install "python==3.12"
```

### Cross-platform installation

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --platform osx-64 some-package
```

Useful on Apple Silicon Macs to install x86\_64 packages.

### Force reinstall

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --force-reinstall python
```

### Install without shortcuts

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --no-shortcuts jupyter
```

## How It Works

1. **Environment Creation**: Each package gets its own isolated environment (unless `--environment` is used)
2. **Package Installation**: The package and its dependencies are installed
3. **Executable Exposure**: Command-line tools are exposed to your PATH
4. **Shortcut Creation**: Desktop/start menu shortcuts are created if applicable

## Environment Naming

By default, environments are named after the package:

* `pixi global install python` creates an environment named `python`
* `pixi global install jupyter` creates an environment named `jupyter`

Use `--environment` to specify a custom name:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --environment myenv python numpy
```

## Exposed Executables

By default, all executables from the main package are exposed. Use `--expose` to control this:

```bash theme={null}
# Expose only specific executables
pixi global install --expose jupyter jupyter

# Expose with a different name
pixi global install --expose py=python python
```

## Additional Dependencies

Use `--with` to include dependencies without exposing their executables:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install jupyter --with matplotlib --with pandas
```

This installs `jupyter`, `matplotlib`, and `pandas`, but only exposes `jupyter` commands.

## Channels

Specify channels to search for packages:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --channel conda-forge --channel bioconda package-name
```

<Note>
  When specifying a channel, it's common that the selected channel also depends on `conda-forge`. Pixi handles this automatically.
</Note>

## Use Cases

### Development Tools

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install black ruff mypy pytest
```

### CLI Utilities

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install ripgrep fd-find bat exa
```

### Python Environments

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install python=3.11
pixi global install python=3.12
```

### Data Science Tools

```bash theme={null}
pixi global install --environment ds --with numpy --with pandas jupyter
```

## Shortcuts

On Windows and macOS, pixi can create shortcuts for GUI applications:

* Windows: Start Menu entries
* macOS: Application bundles

Use `--no-shortcuts` to disable this behavior.

## Listing Installed Packages

After installation, pixi shows what was installed:

```
✓ Installed package-name 1.0.0
  Exposed executables:
  - command1
  - command2
```

To see all globally installed packages:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global list
```

<Tip>
  Use `pixi g i` as a shorthand for `pixi global install`.
</Tip>

## Differences from Workspace Installation

| Feature       | Global Install | Workspace Install |
| ------------- | -------------- | ----------------- |
| Scope         | System-wide    | Project-specific  |
| Configuration | Automatic      | `pixi.toml`       |
| Isolation     | Per-package    | Per-project       |
| Use case      | CLI tools      | Development       |

## Updating Packages

To update globally installed packages:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global update package-name
```

Or update all:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global update --all
```

## Removing Packages

To remove a globally installed environment:

```bash theme={null}
pixi global remove package-name
```