pypa/pip · error · CommandError

You must give at least one requirement to

Error message

You must give at least one requirement to {name} (see "pip help {name}")

What it means

Raised as CommandError in RequirementCommand.get_requirements (req_command.py:459) when no requirement source of any kind was given (same composite check at lines 443-449) and find_links is also empty. This is the plain 'you forgot to name a package' error for an install/download/uninstall/wheel command, directing the user to `pip help <name>`.

Solutions

1. Provide at least one requirement (package name, -r file, -e path, --group, VCS URL, or wheel/sdist path).
2. If invoking from a script, ensure the variable holding the package name is non-empty before calling pip.

Example fix

# before
pip install
# after
pip install requests

# Ensure at least one requirement source is provided.
def has_any_requirement(opts, packages):
    return bool(packages or opts.get("editables") or opts.get("requirements") or opts.get("group") or opts.get("requirements_from_scripts"))
def validate_required(opts, packages):
    if not has_any_requirement(opts, packages):
        raise ValueError("must give at least one requirement (package name, -r, -e, --group, or script)")
    return True

When it happens

Trigger: `pip install` with no arguments; `pip download` with nothing to download.

Common situations: Running a wrapper script that drops the package argument due to an unset variable; invoking pip interactively expecting a prompt; a CI step where the package env var was empty.

Related errors

• You must give at least one requirement to
• --build-constraint cannot be used with --no-build-isolation.
• Can not use any platform or abi specific options unless…
• Cannot combine '--path' with '--user' or '--local'
• Cannot use '--only-dependencies' in combination with

AI-assisted analysis of pypa/pip@f399c37189 (2026-08-08). Data as JSON: /api/errors/c45562201e13bd3f. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/pip/_internal/cli/req_command.py:459

            options.require_hashes = True

        if not (
            args
            or options.editables
            or options.requirements
            or options.dependency_groups
            or options.requirements_from_scripts
        ):
            opts = {"name": self.name}
            if options.find_links:
                raise CommandError(
                    "You must give at least one requirement to {name} "
                    '(maybe you meant "pip {name} {links}"?)'.format(
                        **dict(opts, links=" ".join(options.find_links))
                    )
                )
            else:
                raise CommandError(
                    "You must give at least one requirement to {name} "
                    '(see "pip help {name}")'.format(**opts)
                )

        return requirements

    @staticmethod
    def trace_basic_info(finder: PackageFinder) -> None:
        """
        Trace basic information about the provided objects.
        """
        # Display where finder is looking for packages
        search_scope = finder.search_scope
        locations = search_scope.get_formatted_locations()
        if locations:
            logger.info(locations)

    def _build_package_finder(

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