Install a Python package into a different directory using pip?

Question

I know the obvious answer is to use virtualenv and virtualenvwrapper, but for various reasons I can\'t/don\'t want to do that.

So how do I modify the command

Answer 1

If you are using brew with python, unfortunately, pip/pip3 ships with very limited options. You do not have --install-option, --target, --user options as mentioned above.

Note on pip install --user
The normal pip install --user is disabled for brewed Python. This is because of a bug in distutils, because Homebrew writes a distutils.cfg which sets the package prefix. A possible workaround (which puts executable scripts in ~/Library/Python/./bin) is: python -m pip install --user --install-option="--prefix="

You might find this line very cumbersome. I suggest use pyenv for management. If you are using

brew upgrade python python3

Ironically you are actually downgrade pip functionality.

(I post this answer, simply because pip in my mac osx does not have --target option, and I have spent hours fixing it)