Pillow Installation

Before installing Pillow, please make sure:

• Python 3.7 or higher (latest version recommended)
• pip package manager (usually installed with Python)
• Depending on the platform, some additional system libraries and development tools may be required.

Python Version

Pillow requires Python 3.7 or higher.

You can check your Python version with the following command:

python --version
# 或
python3 --version

pip Tool

pip is Python's package management tool, usually installed alongside Python.

Check if pip is available:

pip --version
# 或
pip3 --version

If pip is not installed, you can refer to theofficial pip installation guideto install it.

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Install Pillow

Basic Installation Method

The simplest way is to install using pip:

pip install pillow

Or specify Python 3 explicitly:

pip3 install pillow

If you use the Anaconda Python distribution:

conda install -c anaconda pillow

Install a Specific Version

If you need to install a specific version of Pillow:

pip install pillow==9.0.0

Install in a Virtual Environment

It is recommended to install Pillow in a virtual environment to avoid dependency conflicts:

# 创建虚拟环境
python -m venv pillow_env

# 激活虚拟环境
# Windows:
pillow_env\Scripts\activate

# 安装 Pillow
pip install Pillow

Install from Source Code

For advanced users, you can install from source code:

Download the source code:

git clone https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow.git
cd Pillow

Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Compile and install:

python setup.py install

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Verify Installation

After installation, you can verify whether Pillow was installed successfully using the following methods:

Method 1: Python Interactive Environment

Method 2: Command Line Check

python3 -c "import PIL; print(PIL.__version__)"

If installation succeeds, the version number of Pillow will be displayed.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Installation Failure

Possible causes:

• Missing dependency libraries (such as zlib, libjpeg, etc.)
• Permission issues

Solutions:

Linux/macOS users may need to install system dependencies first:

Use the --user parameter to avoid permission issues:

pip install --user pillow

2. Import Error

If you encounterImportError: cannot import name '_imaging' from 'PIL'and other errors, try:

pip uninstall pillow
pip install --no-cache-dir pillow

3. Performance Issues

For large-scale image processing, consider installing an optimized version:

pip install pillow-simd

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Your First Pillow Program

After successfully installing Pillow, you can start exploring its powerful image processing features:

Code Explanation:

1. Import module

   • from PIL import Image→ Import Pillow's Image module

2. Open image

   • img = Image.open("example.jpg")→ Load the image file at the specified path

   • Supported formats: JPG/PNG/GIF/BMP, etc.

3. Display image

   • img.show()→ Open with the system's default image viewer

   • For debugging only, not recommended for production environments

4. Save image

   • img.save("example.png")→ Save as the specified format

   • The format is determined by the file extension (e.g., .jpg/.png)

5. Resize

   • small_img = img.resize((100,100))→ Force resize to 100×100 pixels

   • Note: This will change the original image's aspect ratio.

6. Save new image

   • small_img.save("small_example.jpg")→ Save the resized image

   • You can add the quality parameter to control JPEG quality.

Additional Extensions