# pluggy.PluginValidationError: Plugin 'pytest_cov' could not be loaded: (pytest 8.2.0 (...), requirement 'pytest>=8.3')

ERROR: plugin already registered under a different name

- **ID:** `python/pytest-plugin-autoload-conflict`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** install_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

Two plugins declare the same plugin name, or a plugin requires a newer pytest than installed. Common when mixing pytest-cov/pytest-xdist versions or when a local conftest defines a hookimpl with a conflicting name.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.x | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (93% success)
   ```
   pip install -U "pytest>=8.3" pytest-cov pytest-xdist
pip check
   ```
2. **** (85% success)
   ```
   PYTEST_DISABLE_PLUGIN_AUTOLOAD=1 pytest -p pytest_cov -p pytest_xdist
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Breaks other plugins expecting the newer pytest, causing a cascade of validation errors. (70% fail)
- **** — If the plugin is still auto-loaded via entry points, the conflict persists; you must also set PYTEST_DISABLE_PLUGIN_AUTOLOAD. (60% fail)