Difference between pipenv and python -m venv Environments in Python

Both pipenv and python -m venv are tools used to create isolated Python environments, but they serve slightly different purposes and have different features.

Here's a side-by-side comparison:

🆚 Pipenv vs python -m venv

Feature pipenv python -m venv
🧠 Purpose Virtualenv + Dependency Management Tool Just creates a virtual environment
📦 Handles requirements.txt Uses Pipfile and Pipfile.lock instead You manage requirements.txt manually
🔁 Dependency resolution Automatically resolves compatible versions You install packages manually
🧪 Automatically installs pip ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
🔍 Easy to see dependencies pipenv graph No built-in dependency graph viewer
📂 Creates .venv folder ✅ Yes ✅ Yes (default is .venv or env)
⚡ Run scripts inside env pipenv run your_script.py .\venv\Scripts\python your_script.py
💬 Enter shell pipenv shell .\venv\Scripts\activate (Windows)
📁 Lockfile support ✅ (Pipfile.lock) ❌ You must create requirements.txt
🔄 Version pinning ✅ Built-in Manual (you pin versions in requirements.txt)

💡 Summary

  • Use python -m venv if:

    • You want a lightweight, simple virtual environment
    • You prefer managing dependencies manually with pip install + requirements.txt

  • Use pipenv if:

    • You want an all-in-one tool for managing dependencies and virtual environments
    • You like automatic lockfile creation and version resolution
    • You want a pip install + venv combo with nicer CLI commands

🔧 Real-World Example

Using python -m venv: 

python -m venv venv
.\venv\Scripts\activate
pip install fastapi
pip freeze > requirements.txt

Using pipenv: 

pipenv install fastapi
pipenv shell
# Pipfile and Pipfile.lock are auto-managed