# ERROR: Can not perform a '--user' install. User site-packages are not visible in this virtualenv.

- **ID:** `python/pip-install-location-error`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** config_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

The user is trying to use --user flag inside a virtual environment, which is not allowed because user site-packages are disabled.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.11 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (90% success)
   ```
   pip install package
   ```
2. **** (80% success)
   ```
   python -m venv --system-site-packages venv && source venv/bin/activate && pip install --user package
   ```
3. **** (85% success)
   ```
   Deactivate venv and run pip install --user package
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Installs into virtualenv, which may be fine but not user-level. (60% fail)
- **** — Loses isolation. (70% fail)
- **** — Exposes system packages, may conflict. (50% fail)