The Python package manager that installs and updates packages. The following table lists the various tools involved with Python environments: Tool Whether to use a conda environment or a virtual one will depend on your packaging needs, what your team has standardized on, etc.

Conda environmentsĪ conda environment is a Python environment that's managed using the conda package manager (see Getting started with conda).

Note: While it's possible to open a virtual environment folder as a workspace, doing so is not recommended and might cause issues with using the Python extension. When you install packages into a virtual environment it will end up in this new folder so that they are not interspersed with other packages used or needed by other workspaces.

A virtual environment creates a folder that contains a copy (or symlink) to a specific interpreter. Virtual environmentsĪ virtual environment is a built-in way to create an environment to isolate the packages you install per workspace. This lets you isolate what packages you install for your workspace so that they don't interfere with your needs in another workspace. Both types of environment allow you to install packages without affecting other environments. There are two types of environments that you can create for your workspace: virtual and conda environments. You typically want to create an environment for each workspace. Any packages that you install or uninstall affect the global environment and all programs that you run within it.ĭo note that if you install packages into your global environment, though, in time it will become crowded with potentially unrelated or unexpected packages and make it difficult to properly test an application. For example, if you just run python, python3, or py at a new terminal (depending on how you installed Python), you're running in that interpreter's global environment. Python environments Global environmentsīy default, any Python interpreter installed runs in its own global environment. Note: If you'd like to become more familiar with the Python programming language, review More Python resources.

An 'environment' in Python is the context in which a Python program runs and consists of an interpreter and any number of installed packages. This article discusses the helpful Python environments features available in Visual Studio Code.

Configure IntelliSense for cross-compilingĮdit Using Python environments in VS Code.

Install conda