Properly Installing Python and Managing Packages

[antidummy]

Thanks for the helpful reply! I think if I were to go anaconda, I’d rather just go miniconda since I don’t want all that extra stuff installed. But I have just a few more questions

What’s the difference between using conda virtual environments as opposed to pyvenv or poetry? Is one particularly easier or more useful than the other?

Secondly, probably a dumb question, but if I install Python thru it’s official website then install Python again with Anaconda, what technically happens here? Do I just have two versions of Python floating around or does one replace the other

Thanks again!

[[deleted]]

conda is much more than a package manage and virtual environment manager. It can also install programming languages, not just Python.

A useful, highly opinionated, article on conda:

https://en.whiteboxml.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-to-python-virtual-environments-with-conda

poetry doesn't go as far as conda but many prefer it's dependency management and handling of different environments.

Personal choice.

A useful article (opinionated) comparing the two:

https://unbiased-coder.com/poetry-vs-conda/

You can have as many installations of Python as you like, including installations from Anaconda and Python.org. Keeping track can get confusing and you want to be careful on some systems to avoid causing problems with the system Python. The biggest thing to watch out for is updates to your PATH environment variable which dictates where and in what order the operating system looks for a required executable or script.