astral-sh/uv · error · anyhow::Error

Executable already exists at `{}` but is not managed by uv;

Error message

Executable already exists at `{}` but is not managed by uv; use `--force` to replace it

What it means

Error "Executable already exists at `{}` but is not managed by uv; use `--force` to replace it" thrown in astral-sh/uv.

Source

Thrown at crates/uv/src/commands/python/install.rs:1215

                    .or_default()
                    .insert(target.clone());
            }
            Err(err) => {
                errors.push((
                    InstallErrorKind::Bin,
                    installation.key().clone(),
                    Error::new(err),
                ));
            }
        }
    }

    match existing_unmanaged.as_slice() {
        [] => {}
        [executable] => errors.push((
            InstallErrorKind::Bin,
            installation.key().clone(),
            anyhow::anyhow!(
                "Executable already exists at `{}` but is not managed by uv; use `--force` to replace it",
                executable.simplified_display()
            ),
        )),
        executables => errors.push((
            InstallErrorKind::Bin,
            installation.key().clone(),
            anyhow::anyhow!(
                "Executables {} already exist in `{}` but are not managed by uv; use `--force` to replace them",
                conjunction(
                    executables
                        .iter()
                        .filter_map(|path| path.file_name())
                        .map(|name| format!("`{}`", name.to_string_lossy()))
                        .collect(),
                ),
                bin.simplified_display()
            ),

View on GitHub (pinned to f1a42680ff)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at crates/uv/src/commands/python/install.rs:1215 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of astral-sh/uv@f1a42680ff (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/667c0420b5cc8bb8. Report an issue: GitHub.