Virtual Environment

What is a virtual environment?

- A isolated Python environment that is installed into a directory.
- Maintains it's own copy of Python and pip (Python's package manager).
- When activated all Python operations will route to the Python interpreter within the virtual environment.

What are the benefits?

- Keeps your global site-packages directory clean and manageable.
- Keeps system or user installed Python and it's libraries untouched.
- Solves the problem of “Project X depends on version 1.x but, Project Y needs 4.x”.
- Development will not interfere with the System or the user's python. 
- All libraries installed in the virtual environment will only be used within that environment.

How to install?

$ pip install virtualenv

How to create a virtual environment?

In current directory:

python -m venv .

In a subdirectory that does not exist:

python -m venv ./new_dir

How to activate a virtual environment?

Windows

new_dir\scripts\activate.bat

MacOS/Linux (bash)

. new_dir/bin/activate

How to deactivate a virtual environment?

Windows

<clone_root>\env\scripts\deactivate.bat

MacOS/Linux (bash)

deactivate