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Requirements

SQLAlchemy requires Python 3.10 or higher.
Before installing SQLAlchemy, ensure you have:
  • Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, or 3.14
  • pip (comes with Python) or another package manager
  • typing-extensions >= 4.6.0 (installed automatically as a dependency)

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Install with pip

1

Install SQLAlchemy

Install the latest version of SQLAlchemy using pip:
pip install SQLAlchemy
This installs the core library with all essential dependencies.
2

Verify installation

Check that SQLAlchemy is installed correctly:
python -c "import sqlalchemy; print(sqlalchemy.__version__)"
You should see the version number (e.g., 2.1.0b2).

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Install with conda

If you’re using Anaconda or Miniconda: 
conda install -c conda-forge sqlalchemy

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Database Drivers

SQLAlchemy requires a database driver (DBAPI) to connect to databases. Install the appropriate driver for your database: 
pip install "SQLAlchemy[postgresql]"
psycopg (version 3) is the recommended driver for PostgreSQL. For async support, use asyncpg.

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Async Support

For asynchronous database operations, install the asyncio extra: 
pip install "SQLAlchemy[asyncio]"
This installs greenlet>=1, which is required for async functionality.
Async support requires Python 3.10+ and a compatible async database driver like asyncpg, aiomysql, or aiosqlite.

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Development Installation

To install from source for development:
1

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/sqlalchemy/sqlalchemy.git
cd sqlalchemy
2

Install in editable mode

pip install -e .
3

Install development dependencies (optional)

pip install pytest pytest-xdist

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Optional Dependencies

SQLAlchemy offers several optional dependency groups:

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Type Checking with mypy

pip install "SQLAlchemy[mypy]"
Installs mypy >= 1.19 and types-greenlet >= 2 for static type checking support.

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Multiple Drivers

You can install multiple database drivers at once: 
pip install "SQLAlchemy[postgresql,mysql,asyncio]"

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Verify Installation

Confirm your installation by running a simple test: 
import sqlalchemy
from sqlalchemy import create_engine

# Print version
print(f"SQLAlchemy version: {sqlalchemy.__version__}")

# Test SQLite connection (no driver needed)
engine = create_engine("sqlite:///:memory:")
with engine.connect() as conn:
    result = conn.execute(sqlalchemy.text("SELECT 'Hello SQLAlchemy' as message"))
    print(result.fetchone())
Expected output: 
SQLAlchemy version: 2.1.0b2
('Hello SQLAlchemy',)

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Next Steps

Quick Start

Build your first SQLAlchemy application

Documentation

Explore comprehensive tutorials and API reference

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Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during installation:
  • Ensure you’re using Python 3.10 or higher: python --version
  • Upgrade pip: pip install --upgrade pip
  • Check for conflicting packages: pip list | grep -i sqlalchemy
  • Visit the SQLAlchemy discussion forum