How to Fix Error: Subprocess Exited with Error in Python

If you’ve ever tried installing a Python package or running an external command from a Python script and been greeted with something like:

error: subprocess-exited-with-error  
× Getting requirements to build wheel did … exit code: 1  
note: This error originates from a subprocess, and is likely not a problem with pip. 

you’re in good (but frustrated) company. This error message is vague, confusing, and often doesn’t point directly to the real problem. In this blog post you’ll get a clear, step-by-step guide to understand what this error means, why it happens, and how you can fix it in a way that goes beyond many of the standard how-tos out there. I’ll also compare what other blogs cover, point out their gaps, and show you some extra deeper insights not found elsewhere.

What “Error: subprocess-exited-with-error”

When you see the message “error: subprocess-exited-with-error” it tells you that a subprocess (a child process spawned by your Python code or by a tool invoked from within Python) exited with a non-zero status meaning something went wrong. For example when using pip to install a package, you might see this if the package build fails:

“Getting requirements to build wheel … error: subprocess-exited-with-error”

It’s worth noting that this error message often and confusingly states:
“note: This error originates from a subprocess, and is likely not a problem with pip.”

So, although it happens while using pip (or some other tool), the root problem is often deeper: a build-step for a package, a missing dependency, an incompatible environment, etc.

In simpler terms: Python (or pip) asked another program/process to do something and that thing failed. But what exactly that thing was often needs digging.

Why This Error Pops Up

Build / Wheel Generation Failure:

Many modern Python packages require building native extensions (C/C++ code) or generating “wheels.” If that build step fails (say due to missing compilers, missing headers, or incompatible Python version), you’ll get a subprocess exit error. For example: “Installing build dependencies error: subprocess-exited-with-error” when trying to install a specific version of numpy.

Incorrect Package Name or Missing Package:

Sometimes the error is simply because pip can’t find a package or the version doesn’t exist. For example: using the wrong package name causes the subprocess (internally) to fail. One answer says:

“The correct command was: pip install python-dotenv” because they had used dotenv.

Dependency Conflicts or Environment Issues:

Even if you have the right package name, if there are conflicting dependencies (versions of torch + torchaudio, etc.), or your environment is missing something (e.g., Rust, C compiler, system libraries), the build will fail. A forum thread describes this:

“It seems related to dependency conflicts between torch, torchaudio, and other packages.”

Platform/architecture Mismatch or Wrong Python Version:

Maybe you’re on Windows but trying to install a package that’s only supported on Linux, or you’re using Python 3.12 with a package that doesn’t yet support it. These mismatches can cause build failures.

Permissions, File Paths or Environment Variables:

Less often, but still possible: if the subprocess tries to write to a path without permission, or needs certain environment variables set (for example, PATH pointing to a compiler), it may simply crash.

How to Get Your Code Back on Track

Read the error output carefully:

When you get “subprocess-exited-with-error”, scroll up there is usually a longer error message or traceback that shows the actual issue (missing header file, unsupported Python version, etc.). Don’t ignore it. For example:

“Cannot find libsystemd or libsystemd-journal: Package libsystemd was not found in the pkg-config search path.”
That tells you exactly what’s missing.

Upgrade pip, Setup tools and Wheel:

Many times the fix is simply making sure your packaging tools are up to date. Run:

python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel

One answer on StackOverflow solved it this way:

“pip install –upgrade setuptools wheel”
This ensures tools that build packages are fresh and less likely to fail.

Use a Clean Virtual Environment:

Sometimes globally installed packages or leftover files cause conflicts. Create a fresh virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # or venv\Scripts\activate on Windows

Then retry the install. This isolates the problem and avoids version clashes.

Check Package Name and Version:

Did you mistype the package? For example dotenv vs python-dotenv. On one forum, the fix was simply:

“The correct command was: pip install python-dotenv”
So double-check the PyPI page for the package you’re trying to install.

Check for System Dependencies:

If the error hints at a missing header, library or build tool, you may need to install system-level dependencies. On Linux you might need build-essential, python3-dev, or a library like libsystemd-dev. On Windows you may need to install Visual Studio Build Tools. For instance:

“Cannot find libsystemd or libsystemd-journal” Stack
Install the missing library and try again.

Use --no-build-isolation, or Install Wheels if Possible

If you’re installing a package from source and it fails, you may try:

pip install package-name --no-build-isolation

Or find a pre-built wheel for the version you need. One answer mentioned using:

python -m pip install pyautogui --no-build-isolation
This bypasses some of the strict build isolation that pip uses.

Downgrade or Change Python Version if Needed:

If you’re using a cutting-edge Python version and the package hasn’t caught up, switch to a supported version (e.g., 3.10 or 3.11 instead of 3.12). One user resolved it by downgrading pip and Python:

“I got the same error resolved it when I downgraded the pip version from 24.1.2 to 22.1.0.”
Don’t rule this out as a possible fix.

Install From Source or Fallback Alternative:

If nothing works, you can clone the repository of the package, navigate into it, and install locally via:

git clone https://github.com/owner/repo.git
cd repo
pip install .

This sometimes surfaces more detailed errors and may allow you to patch or workaround. One answer suggested exactly this when wheels failed.

Bonus Insights What Many Guides Skip

Build isolation pitfalls:

Pip uses build isolation by default (PEP 517) which means it spins up an isolated build environment for packages that use pyproject.toml. If that build environment lacks certain tools, you’ll see subprocess exit errors. Using --no-build-isolation can help, or providing a pyproject.toml-friendly build backend.

The role of pyproject.toml:

Newer Python packages declare their build requirements in pyproject.toml. If those requirements are missing (e.g., setuptools_scm, Cython, etc.), the build subprocess will fail. Some error logs show things like: “error: subprocess-exited-with-error × python setup.py egg_info did not run successfully.” Knowing this, you might manually add/install missing build tools.

Capturing Standard Error & Stdout Reveals Clues:

Rather than just reading the top error message, you can capture output in code using something like:

import subprocess
try:
    result = subprocess.run(
        ["your-command", "args"],
        check=True,
        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
        text=True
    )
    print(result.stdout)
except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
    print(f"Command '{e.cmd}' failed with exit code {e.returncode}")
    print("stderr:", e.stderr)

Virtual Environment vs Global Environment Differences:

Sometimes the system Python has different versions of pip, setuptools, etc. than the venv. Installing globally may succeed but fail in venv (or vice versa). Always test in a clean venv and compare. Many tutorials forget to emphasise that.

Conclusion

The “Error: subprocess-exited-with-error” in Python is frustrating not because it’s rare — in fact, it’s rather common — but because the message is generic and the root causes are varied. With this blog post you now have a clear roadmap: understand what the error means, go through actionable steps (upgrade tools, check dependencies, isolate environment), and dig into deeper insights like build isolation and environment mismatches.