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Virtual Environment in Python
Python virtual environments are essential for managing dependencies in projects, ensuring that each project has its own set of libraries and versions. This isolation helps avoid conflicts between projects and keeps your global Python environment clean.
Creating a Virtual Environment
To create a virtual environment, use the venv
module, which is included in the Python standard library.
import venv
# To create a virtual environment, open your terminal and run:
$ python3 -m venv myenv
# Replace 'myenv' with the name you want for your environment.
Activating the Virtual Environment
After creating the virtual environment, you need to activate it. Activation scripts are available for different operating systems:
# On Windows:
> myenv\Scripts\activate
# On Unix or MacOS:
$ source myenv/bin/activate
Deactivating the Virtual Environment
To deactivate the virtual environment, use the deactivate
command:
# Deactivate the virtual environment
deactivate
Installing Packages
With the virtual environment activated, you can install packages using pip
. The installed packages will be isolated to your virtual environment.
# Install a package
$ pip install package_name
# For example, to install requests:
$ pip install requests
Listing Installed Packages
You can list the packages installed in the virtual environment using:
# List installed packages
$ pip list
Freezing Requirements
To save the current environment's package list into a requirements file, use the pip freeze
command. This file can be used to recreate the environment elsewhere.
# Freeze the installed packages to requirements.txt
$ pip freeze > requirements.txt
# To install packages from a requirements file:
$ pip install -r requirements.txt
Benefits of Virtual Environments
- Isolate project dependencies, preventing conflicts between projects.
- Ensure that projects use the correct versions of libraries.
- Maintain a clean global Python environment.
- Recreate environments easily with a requirements file.