diff --git a/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update.sh b/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update.sh
index 5003735a491..be0cdbf9675 100755
--- a/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update.sh
+++ b/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update.sh
@@ -28,22 +28,29 @@ do
 done
 shift $((OPTIND - 1))
 
-# Create a virtual environment in a tmp directory and install uv into it
-uv_venv=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/uv_venv.XXXXXXXXXX")
-python3 -m venv "${uv_venv}"
-"${uv_venv}/bin/python" -m pip install uv
-uv="${uv_venv}/bin/uv"
+# Install uv for fast operation
+if ! command -v uv >/dev/null; then
+    echo "Installing uv..."
+    if command -v curl >/dev/null; then
+        curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3 -m pip install uv
+    elif command -v wget >/dev/null; then
+        wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3 -m pip install uv
+    else
+        python3 -m pip install uv
+    fi
+    export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+fi
 
 # Run uv (this may update pyproject.toml and uv.lock).
 if [ -n "$pkg" ]; then
-    ${uv} lock --upgrade-package "$pkg"
+    uv lock --upgrade-package "$pkg"
 else
-    ${uv} lock --upgrade
+    uv lock --upgrade
 fi
 
 # Update pinned requirements files.
 UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS='--frozen --no-annotate --no-hashes'
-${uv} export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --no-dev > "$this_directory/pinned-requirements.txt"
-${uv} export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --only-group=test > "$this_directory/pinned-test-requirements.txt"
-${uv} export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --only-group=dev > "$this_directory/dev-requirements.txt"
-${uv} export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --only-group=typecheck > "$this_directory/pinned-typecheck-requirements.txt"
+uv export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --no-dev > "$this_directory/pinned-requirements.txt"
+uv export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --only-group=test > "$this_directory/pinned-test-requirements.txt"
+uv export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --only-group=dev > "$this_directory/dev-requirements.txt"
+uv export ${UV_EXPORT_OPTIONS} --only-group=typecheck > "$this_directory/pinned-typecheck-requirements.txt"
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update_lint_requirements.sh b/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update_lint_requirements.sh
index 9fc43257355..959820225bc 100755
--- a/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update_lint_requirements.sh
+++ b/lib/galaxy/dependencies/update_lint_requirements.sh
@@ -10,12 +10,28 @@ THIS_DIRECTORY="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" > /dev/null && pwd)"
 
 update_pinned_reqs() {
     VENV=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/$1_venv.XXXXXXXXXX")
-    python3.9 -m venv "${VENV}"
+    
+    # Install uv for fast package installation
+    if ! command -v uv >/dev/null; then
+        echo "Installing uv..."
+        if command -v curl >/dev/null; then
+            curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3.9 -m pip install uv
+        elif command -v wget >/dev/null; then
+            wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3.9 -m pip install uv
+        else
+            python3.9 -m pip install uv
+        fi
+        export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+    fi
+    
+    # Use uv venv for fast virtual environment creation
+    uv venv "${VENV}" --python python3.9
     . "${VENV}/bin/activate"
-    pip install --upgrade pip setuptools
-    pip install -r "${THIS_DIRECTORY}/$1-requirements.txt"
+    
+    # No need to upgrade pip/setuptools - uv handles everything
+    uv pip install -r "${THIS_DIRECTORY}/$1-requirements.txt"
     # The grep below is needed to workaround https://github.com/pypa/pip/issues/8331
-    pip freeze -l | grep -v 'pkg_resources==0.0.0' > "${THIS_DIRECTORY}/pinned-$1-requirements.txt"
+    uv pip freeze | grep -v 'pkg_resources==0.0.0' > "${THIS_DIRECTORY}/pinned-$1-requirements.txt"
     rm -rf "${VENV}"
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/package-build-install.sh b/packages/package-build-install.sh
index 37e6c9d31a2..380c341ac5c 100755
--- a/packages/package-build-install.sh
+++ b/packages/package-build-install.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,21 @@ set -euo pipefail
 : ${PIP_EXTRA_ARGS:=--extra-index-url https://wheels.galaxyproject.org}
 #: ${SETUP_VENV:=true}
 
+# Ensure uv is installed
+ensure_uv() {
+    if ! command -v uv >/dev/null; then
+        echo "Installing uv..."
+        if command -v curl >/dev/null; then
+            curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3 -m pip install uv
+        elif command -v wget >/dev/null; then
+            wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3 -m pip install uv
+        else
+            python3 -m pip install uv
+        fi
+        export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+    fi
+}
+
 INSTALL=true
 EDITABLE=false
 META=false
@@ -37,7 +52,7 @@ do
         h)
             echo "usage: $0 [-bem] [up_to_package]"
             echo "  -b  build only, no install"
-            echo "  -e  install packages in \"editable\" mode (pip install -e)"
+            echo "  -e  install packages in \"editable\" mode (uv pip install -e)"
             echo "  -m  install galaxy metapackage, installing pinned deps in meta/requirements.txt"
             exit 0
             ;;
@@ -65,15 +80,21 @@ while read package; do
     printf "\n========= PACKAGE %s =========\n\n" "$package"
     pushd $package
     if $EDITABLE; then
-        pip install -e .
+        # Install package in editable mode using uv (much faster than pip)
+        ensure_uv
+        uv pip install -e .
     else
         if [ ! -d "$VENV" ]; then
-            python3 -m venv "$VENV"
-            "${VENV}/bin/pip" install -r <(grep -v test-requirements.txt dev-requirements.txt)
+            # Install uv for fast venv creation and package management
+            ensure_uv
+            
+            # Use uv venv for fast virtual environment creation
+            uv venv "$VENV" --python python3
+            "${VENV}/bin/uv" pip install -r <(grep -v test-requirements.txt dev-requirements.txt)
         fi
         make dist
         if $INSTALL && ! $META; then
-            pip install dist/*.whl
+            uv pip install dist/*.whl
         fi
     fi
     popd
@@ -83,5 +104,5 @@ done < "$PACKAGE_LIST_FILE"
 if $INSTALL && $META && ! $EDITABLE; then
     WHEELHOUSE=$(mktemp -d -t gxpkgwheelhouseXXXXXX)
     cp */dist/*.whl "$WHEELHOUSE"
-    pip install $PIP_EXTRA_ARGS --find-links "$WHEELHOUSE" meta/dist/*.whl
+    uv pip install $PIP_EXTRA_ARGS --find-links "$WHEELHOUSE" meta/dist/*.whl
 fi
diff --git a/packages/test.sh b/packages/test.sh
index 7d3d5916302..e23beb8e6cc 100755
--- a/packages/test.sh
+++ b/packages/test.sh
@@ -36,12 +36,27 @@ cd "$(dirname "$0")"
 TEST_PYTHON=${TEST_PYTHON:-"python3"}
 TEST_ENV_DIR=${TEST_ENV_DIR:-$(mktemp -d -t gxpkgtestenvXXXXXX)}
 
-"$TEST_PYTHON" -m venv "$TEST_ENV_DIR"
+# Install uv for fast package installation
+if ! command -v uv >/dev/null; then
+    echo "Installing uv..."
+    if command -v curl >/dev/null; then
+        curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || "$TEST_PYTHON" -m pip install uv
+    elif command -v wget >/dev/null; then
+        wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || "$TEST_PYTHON" -m pip install uv
+    else
+        "$TEST_PYTHON" -m pip install uv
+    fi
+    export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+fi
+
+# Use uv venv for much faster virtual environment creation
+uv venv "$TEST_ENV_DIR" --python "$TEST_PYTHON"
 # shellcheck disable=SC1091
 . "${TEST_ENV_DIR}/bin/activate"
-pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
+
+# Note: No need to upgrade pip anymore since we're using uv exclusively
 if [ $FOR_PULSAR -eq 0 ]; then
-    pip install -r../lib/galaxy/dependencies/pinned-typecheck-requirements.txt
+    uv pip install -r../lib/galaxy/dependencies/pinned-typecheck-requirements.txt
 fi
 
 # Ensure ordered by dependency DAG
@@ -65,13 +80,13 @@ while read -r package_dir || [ -n "$package_dir" ]; do  # https://stackoverflow.
 
     # Install extras (if needed)
     if [ "$package_dir" = "util" ]; then
-        pip install '.[image-util,template,jstree,config-template,test]'
+        uv pip install '.[image-util,template,jstree,config-template,test]'
     elif [ "$package_dir" = "tool_util" ]; then
-        pip install '.[cwl,mulled,edam,extended-assertions,test]'
+        uv pip install '.[cwl,mulled,edam,extended-assertions,test]'
     elif grep -q 'test =' setup.cfg 2>/dev/null; then
-        pip install '.[test]'
+        uv pip install '.[test]'
     else
-        pip install .
+        uv pip install .
     fi
 
     if [ $FOR_PULSAR -eq 0 ]; then
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e504f874d69..94a17893a35 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -261,3 +261,4 @@ default-groups = []
 extra-index-url = ["https://wheels.galaxyproject.org/simple"]
 index-strategy = "unsafe-best-match"
 package = false
+required-version = ">=0.5.0"  # Minimum uv version for fast package management
diff --git a/scripts/common_startup.sh b/scripts/common_startup.sh
index 63f278dbfde..58018577b0f 100755
--- a/scripts/common_startup.sh
+++ b/scripts/common_startup.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,22 @@ set -e
 # The caller may do this as well, but since common_startup.sh can be called independently, we need to do it here
 . ./scripts/common_startup_functions.sh
 
+# Ensure uv is installed (used throughout this script)
+ensure_uv() {
+    if ! command -v uv >/dev/null; then
+        echo "Installing uv..."
+        local python_cmd="${1:-python3}"
+        if command -v curl >/dev/null; then
+            curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || "$python_cmd" -m pip install "uv>=${MIN_UV_VERSION}"
+        elif command -v wget >/dev/null; then
+            wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || "$python_cmd" -m pip install "uv>=${MIN_UV_VERSION}"
+        else
+            "$python_cmd" -m pip install "uv>=${MIN_UV_VERSION}"
+        fi
+        export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+    fi
+}
+
 DEV_WHEELS=0
 FETCH_WHEELS=1
 CREATE_VENV=1
@@ -38,7 +54,7 @@ RMFILES="
 "
 
 MIN_PYTHON_VERSION=3.9
-MIN_PIP_VERSION=20.3
+MIN_UV_VERSION=0.5.0
 
 # return true if $1 is in $2 else false
 in_dir() {
@@ -112,12 +128,15 @@ if [ $SET_VENV -eq 1 ] && [ $CREATE_VENV -eq 1 ]; then
                     echo "Creating Conda environment for Galaxy: $GALAXY_CONDA_ENV"
                     echo "To avoid this, use the --no-create-venv flag or set \$GALAXY_CONDA_ENV to an"
                     echo "existing environment before starting Galaxy."
-                    $CONDA_EXE create --yes --override-channels --channel conda-forge --name "$GALAXY_CONDA_ENV" "python=${GALAXY_CONDA_PYTHON_VERSION}" "pip>=${MIN_PIP_VERSION}"
+                    # Note: uv will be installed via standalone installer, not conda
+                    $CONDA_EXE create --yes --override-channels --channel conda-forge --name "$GALAXY_CONDA_ENV" "python=${GALAXY_CONDA_PYTHON_VERSION}"
                     unset __CONDA_INFO
                 fi
                 conda_activate
             fi
-            python3 -m venv "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV"
+            # Install uv first if not available, then use uv venv for fast virtual environment creation
+            ensure_uv python
+            uv venv "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV" --python python3
         else
             # If $GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV does not exist, and there is no conda available, attempt to create it.
 
@@ -128,15 +147,18 @@ if [ $SET_VENV -eq 1 ] && [ $CREATE_VENV -eq 1 ]; then
             echo "using Python: $GALAXY_PYTHON"
             echo "To avoid this, use the --no-create-venv flag or set \$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV to an"
             echo "existing environment before starting Galaxy."
-            # First try to use the venv standard library module, although it is
-            # not always installed by default on Linux distributions.
-            if ! "$GALAXY_PYTHON" -m venv "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV"; then
-                echo "Creating the Python virtual environment using the venv standard library module failed."
-                echo "Trying with virtualenv now."
+            
+            # Install uv first if not available, then use uv venv for fast virtual environment creation
+            ensure_uv "$GALAXY_PYTHON"
+            
+            # Use uv venv for much faster virtual environment creation
+            if ! uv venv "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV" --python "$GALAXY_PYTHON"; then
+                echo "Creating the Python virtual environment using uv failed."
+                echo "Trying with virtualenv now as fallback."
                 if command -v virtualenv >/dev/null; then
                     virtualenv -p "$GALAXY_PYTHON" "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV"
                 else
-                    # Download virtualenv zipapp
+                    # Download virtualenv zipapp as last resort
                     vurl="https://bootstrap.pypa.io/virtualenv/${MIN_PYTHON_VERSION}/virtualenv.pyz"
                     vtmp=$(mktemp -d -t galaxy-virtualenv-XXXXXX)
                     vsrc="$vtmp/$(basename $vurl)"
@@ -180,18 +202,22 @@ fi
 [ "$CI" = 'true' ] && export PIP_PROGRESS_BAR=off
 
 if [ $FETCH_WHEELS -eq 1 ]; then
-    python -m pip install "pip>=$MIN_PIP_VERSION" wheel
+    # Ensure uv is installed - uv is much faster than pip (10-100x)
+    ensure_uv python
+    
+    # Use uv pip install for fast package installation
+    # Note: uv pip install is significantly faster than pip install
     # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-    pip install $requirement_args --index-url "${GALAXY_WHEELS_INDEX_URL}" --extra-index-url "${PYPI_INDEX_URL}"
+    uv pip install $requirement_args --index-url "${GALAXY_WHEELS_INDEX_URL}" --extra-index-url "${PYPI_INDEX_URL}"
 
     set_galaxy_config_file_var
     GALAXY_CONDITIONAL_DEPENDENCIES=$(PYTHONPATH=lib python -c "from __future__ import print_function; import galaxy.dependencies; print('\n'.join(galaxy.dependencies.optional('$GALAXY_CONFIG_FILE')))")
     if [ -n "$GALAXY_CONDITIONAL_DEPENDENCIES" ]; then
-        if pip list --format=columns | grep "psycopg2[\(\ ]*2.7.3" > /dev/null; then
+        if uv pip list | grep "psycopg2[\(\ ]*2.7.3" > /dev/null; then
             echo "An older version of psycopg2 (non-binary, version 2.7.3) has been detected.  Galaxy now uses psycopg2-binary, which will be installed after removing psycopg2."
-            pip uninstall -y psycopg2 psycopg2-binary
+            uv pip uninstall psycopg2 psycopg2-binary
         fi
-        echo "$GALAXY_CONDITIONAL_DEPENDENCIES" | pip install -r /dev/stdin --index-url "${GALAXY_WHEELS_INDEX_URL}" --extra-index-url "${PYPI_INDEX_URL}"
+        echo "$GALAXY_CONDITIONAL_DEPENDENCIES" | uv pip install -r /dev/stdin --index-url "${GALAXY_WHEELS_INDEX_URL}" --extra-index-url "${PYPI_INDEX_URL}"
     fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/test/release.sh b/test/release.sh
index 595f7c462bb..bd124c527e5 100755
--- a/test/release.sh
+++ b/test/release.sh
@@ -131,8 +131,21 @@ function make_forks() {
 
 function create_venv() {
     if [ ! -d "$VENV" ]; then
-        log_exec python3 -m venv "$VENV"
-        log_exec "${VENV}/bin/pip" install wheel packaging
+        # Install uv for fast venv creation and package management
+        if ! command -v uv >/dev/null; then
+            echo "Installing uv..."
+            if command -v curl >/dev/null; then
+                curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3 -m pip install uv
+            elif command -v wget >/dev/null; then
+                wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh || python3 -m pip install uv
+            else
+                python3 -m pip install uv
+            fi
+            export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+        fi
+        
+        log_exec uv venv "$VENV"
+        log_exec "${VENV}/bin/uv" pip install wheel packaging
     fi
     . "${VENV}/bin/activate"
 }