Add uv as alternative installer for python packages

[KingMichaelPark]

I've searched open issues for similar requests

• Yes

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Package resolution of python packages can be quite slow, especially for tools like sqlfluff.

Describe the solution you'd like

In the settings for python, add using uv as an alternative option, which will install packages using uv
instead of the native pip.

opts = { pip = { use_uv = true } } }

Describe potential alternatives you've considered

All other resolvers are about as fast as pip so this is the only alternative.

Additional context

No response

[effigies]

Conceived as an environment manager, which also happens to be an installer, I think #1841 is related. Consider something like:

opts = {
  python = {
    venv = "uv", -- "uv", "venv" or "virtualenv",
    installer = "uv", -- "uv" (default if venv == "uv") or "pip" (default if venv == "venv" or "virtualenv")
  }
}

[jamesharris-garmin]

An interesting side effect of this is it would allow you to target different versions of python than the system as uv could be fetch in initial setup or installed in the path and it could provide the specific python version desired for installing tools.

It could also allow dependencies between tools and python versions.

[kiyoon]

I'm on mac and my system python is still 3.9 which is already EOL. I worry that I will not be getting any updates on newer LSPs. uv will certainly solve this issue, and this will make me not have to apt install python-virtualenv anymore on ubuntu machines.

[KingMichaelPark]

@kiyoon I recommend checking out https://github.com/jdx/mise to get additional python versions. (It defaults my mac to use whatever python version I want). This PR wouldn't address your issue.

[kiyoon]

@KingMichaelPark Thanks, however, I don't really need to change the default python version just because of mason. Also, adding uv will choose an appropriate python interpreter for the target LSP program, and it will even download and configure it if it doesn't exist on the computer. Way less hassle when it comes to configuring many programs in many machines.

[KingMichaelPark]

I realised this isn't the PR thread but the issues thread. My PR that has added uv #1640 doesn't manage python versions. I think that's adding too much for mason to worry about. For your use case though, if you want to use UV to manage python versions you can install uv globally and just install your LSPs while you've activated that python version in your shell.

Otherwise you'd be entering the realm of installing the same lsp for each UV installed version of python and that could get annoying. Feel free to add a related PR (just a warning that mine has been approved for a while and has been open for almost two years now so it probably isn't worth the effort).

[kiyoon]

Yes, I'm aware that I can just use uv to install it manually on my own. I was thinking of doing that when I get into problems with mason. Thanks!