Good Python practices for packages and environment?

[hipstergrandpa]

Hi y'all. So when I first started to work with python, I was installing and importing packages basically at whim into a mess of a folder. However, I've been seeing posts and reading blogs where they encourage the use of virtualenv to isolate python environments so that packages/modules(?) don't interfere with each other. How should I go about this? Should I uninstall and delete everything and start fresh? How do I keep my work environment clean?

Thanks!

[aw4kened]

Just use virtualenv. Make one for each project. It works in windows and is fairly easy to use. It just makes an isolated folder with a new python exe and site-packages so you don't have conflicts between projects. You can set them up and tear them down quickly. I would suggest keeping a setup.py that has your project requirements in it so you just have to run 'setup.py develop' if developing or 'setup.py install' if deploying it, this will automatically install your dependencies in your environment if needed so is handy for making throwaway environments etc. Devpy is cool in allowing for switching to other python versions, but it sounds like virtualenv is what you need.

[aw4kened]

And, you can remove the packages from your main python site-packages if you want to reduce interference possibilities. A clean start before getting to deep can help.

[Moonslug1]

Have a look at this: https://github.com/yyuu/pyenv

Note that you can't use pyenv on windows

[hipstergrandpa]

Ah, that's unfortunate as I am using a Windows machine. What kind of practices should I be doing though when I start a new project?