pip is a replacement for easy_install. It uses mostly the same techniques for finding packages, so packages that were made easy_installable should be pip-installable as well. pip is meant to improve on easy_install. Some of the improvements: * All packages are downloaded before installation. Partially-completed installation doesn't occur as a result. * Care is taken to present useful output on the console. * The reasons for actions are kept track of. For instance, if a package is being installed, pip keeps track of why that package was required. * Error messages should be useful. * The code is relatively concise and cohesive, making it easier to use programmatically. * Packages don't have to be installed as egg archives, they can be installed flat (while keeping the egg metadata). * Native support for other version control systems (Git, Mercurial and Bazaar) * Uninstallation of packages. * Simple to define fixed sets of requirements and reliably reproduce a set of packages.