Overview
Conda is an open-source package management system and environment management system that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It was created for Python programs, but it can package and distribute software for any language (R, Ruby, Lua, Scala, Java, JavaScript, C/ C++, FORTRAN).
Anaconda is a free and open-source distribution of Python and R programming languages for data science and machine learning related applications. It aims to simplify package management and deployment. It comes pre-loaded with many popular packages, and includes Conda as the default package manager.
Miniconda, on the other hand, is a minimal installer for Conda. It includes only Conda, Python, the packages they depend on, and a small number of other useful packages. This makes Miniconda a lighter-weight base to start from if you’re only interested in using Conda for package management and not the larger suite of tools and applications included in Anaconda.
Basic Conda Commands
Here are the basic commands you need to use conda:
Check Version
Check the version of conda installed.
conda --version
Update Conda
Update conda to the latest version.
conda update conda
Search for a Package
Search for a package to see if it’s available to install via conda.
conda search package_name
Install a Package
Install a specific package. Replace `package_name` with the name of the package you want to install.
conda install package_name
List Installed Packages
List all packages installed in the active conda environment.
conda list
Remove a Package
Remove an installed package. Replace `package_name` with the name of the package you want to remove.
conda remove package_name
Update a Package
Update a specific package to the latest version.
conda update package_name
Environment Management
One of the most powerful features of Conda is the ability to manage environments.
Create a New Environment
Create a new environment. Replace `env_name` with the name you want to give to the new environment.
conda create --name env_name
Create a New Environment with a Specific Package
Create a new environment and install a specific package at the same time.
conda create --name env_name package_name
List Environments
List all of the Conda environments on your machine.
conda env list
Activate an Environment
Activate a specific environment. Replace `env_name` with the name of the environment you want to activate.
conda activate env_name
Deactivate the Current Environment
Deactivate the currently active environment.
conda deactivate
Remove an Environment
Remove a specific environment.
conda env remove --name env_name
Remember that Conda is a powerful tool with many more features and options than those listed here. This guide should serve as a good starting point for the most common tasks you’ll perform with Conda.
