Troubleshooting No Module Named ‘pkg_resources’ Error in Python: 4 Effective Methods

How to Troubleshoot the ModuleNotFoundError: No module named ‘pkg_resources’ Error

Have you ever encountered an error message that says, “ModuleNotFoundError: No module named ‘pkg_resources'” while trying to run a Python script or install a package using pip? If yes, do not worry because this error is pretty common, and it has a simple solution.

In this article, we will show you a few methods to troubleshoot and fix this error, including installing the Setuptools module, uninstalling Setuptools, upgrading Pip, Setuptools, and Wheel packages, and creating a virtual environment with the venv module.

Method 1: Installing the Setuptools Module

Setuptools is a package that is required for various Python packages to install correctly.

If you are getting a ModuleNotFoundError related to the pkg_resources module, then it might be a good idea to install the Setuptools package. Here are the steps to install the Setuptools module:

1. Open the command prompt or terminal on your system.
2. Type the following command to install the Setuptools module:
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   pip install setuptools

3. Wait for the installation to finish. If everything goes well, you should now be able to run your Python script or install packages via pip without encountering the “No module named ‘pkg_resources'” error.

Method 2: Uninstalling Setuptools

If you have already installed the Setuptools module and are still getting the “No module named ‘pkg_resources'” error, then it might be necessary to uninstall Setuptools and reinstall it again. Here are the steps to uninstall Setuptools:

1. Open the command prompt or terminal on your system.
2. Type the following command to uninstall the Setuptools package:
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   pip uninstall setuptools

3. Wait for the uninstallation process to finish.
4. Type the following command to reinstall Setuptools:
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   pip install setuptools

5. Wait for the installation to finish.

Method 3: Upgrading Pip, Setuptools, and Wheel Packages

If the Setuptools module is already installed and you are still encountering the “No module named ‘pkg_resources'” error, then it might be due to outdated or incompatible versions of Pip, Setuptools, or Wheel packages.

Here are the steps to upgrade these packages:

1. Open the command prompt or terminal on your system.
2. Type the following command to upgrade Pip:
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   python -m pip install --upgrade pip

3. Wait for the upgrade to finish.
4. Type the following command to upgrade Setuptools:
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   pip install --upgrade setuptools

5. Wait for the upgrade to finish.
6. Type the following command to upgrade Wheel:
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   pip install --upgrade wheel

7. Wait for the upgrade to finish.

Method 4: Creating a Virtual Environment with venv Module

If you are still experiencing the “No module named ‘pkg_resources'” error after trying all the above methods, then it might be due to conflicting versions of packages installed on your system. The best way to solve this issue is to create a virtual environment that isolates your project’s dependencies.

Here are the steps to create a virtual environment using the venv module:

1. Open the command prompt or terminal on your system.
2. Navigate to the directory where you want to create your virtual environment.
3. Type the following command to create a virtual environment:
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   python -m venv env

4. Wait for the virtual environment to be created.
5. Activate the virtual environment using the following command:

   On Windows:

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   envScriptsactivate.bat

   On Linux/MacOS:

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   source env/bin/activate

6. Install your project dependencies inside the virtual environment using pip.
7. Test your installation by running your Python script or importing the packages without encountering the “No module named ‘pkg_resources'” error.

Conclusion

Encountering the “No module named ‘pkg_resources'” error while running Python scripts or installing packages is a common issue faced by developers. In this article, we discussed a few methods to troubleshoot and fix this error.

These methods include installing the Setuptools module, uninstalling Setuptools, upgrading Pip, Setuptools, and Wheel packages, and creating a virtual environment with the venv module. By following these methods, you can easily fix this error and continue your Python development.