Python Virtual Environment Management

Introduction

Python virtual environment is a tool used to isolate different Python environments on a single machine. This is useful when working on projects that have different requirements, or when you want to avoid conflicting packages in your global Python environment.

Achievements

• virtualenv Command
• Activate Virtual Environment
• Exit Virtual Environment
• Assgin Python Version

Creating Virtual Environment

First, let us create a Python virtual environment.

virtualenv venv

Now we have a virtual environment named "venv". Next, we can install Python packages in the virtual environment.

Using Virtual Environment

Now, we use the source command to activate the virtual environment:

source venv/bin/activate

Then, we install a third-path package:

pip install pygame

pygame is success installed in this environment.

pip list

Finally, use deactivate command to exit the virtual environment:

We can see pygame is not installed in the main environment.

Different Python Versions

We can also create a virtual environment using the Python version we want.

e.g. create a Python3 virtual environment, first, we must know where the Python3 is:

which python3

then we can use -p to assign it:

virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python3 venv3

Summary

Congratulations! You have completed the Python Virtual Environment Lab.

In this lab, you learned how to:

• Create a Python virtual environment.
• Use PyPI package manager to install packages in a Python virtual environment.
• Manage different Python virtual environments.