BatDetect2 can be used in two ways: through the batdetect2 command line interface (CLI), or as the batdetect2 Python package.
The CLI route does not require coding.
You run commands in the terminal and, in some cases, write configuration files.
The Python route gives you more flexibility and lets you integrate the model into your own workflows or experiments.
For most common use cases, both routes give you the same results.
If you want to try BatDetect2 before installing anything locally:
To use batdetect2 on your machine, you need to install it first.
We recommend using uv for that.
uv is a tool that helps manage Python software cleanly, without mixing it into the rest of your machine.
Install uv first by following the installation instructions.
If you are not ready to install batdetect2 permanently, you can try it with:
uvx batdetect2This still downloads the code and dependencies and runs them on your machine, but the environment is temporary.
If you want the batdetect2 CLI to always be available in your terminal, run:
uv tool install batdetect2If you need to upgrade later:
uv tool upgrade batdetect2Verify the CLI is available:
batdetect2You can then run your first workflow.
See {doc}tutorials/run-inference-on-folder for more details.
If you are using BatDetect2 from Python code and already manage your projects with uv, you can add it with:
uv add batdetect2If you want to upgrade it later:
uv add -U batdetect2If you prefer pip, you can use:
pip install batdetect2It is a good idea to create a separate virtual environment first so this does not interfere with other Python environments.
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate- Run your first workflow on a folder of recordings: {doc}
tutorials/run-inference-on-folder - If you write code and want the Python route: {doc}
tutorials/integrate-with-a-python-pipeline - For common practical tasks, go to {doc}
how_to/index - For detailed command help, go to {doc}
reference/cli/index - To understand the model and its outputs, go to {doc}
explanation/index