conda

Conda is an open-source package management system and environment management system that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is language-agnostic and focuses on managing software packages and their dependencies rather than being tied to a single language. Conda can install, run, and update packages from languages such as Python and R, using precompiled binaries to avoid local compilation.

As an environment manager, conda creates isolated environments containing a specific set of packages and their dependencies. Users can create new environments, install packages into them, switch between environments, and remove environments. This isolation helps manage project-specific requirements and prevents dependency conflicts across projects.

Conda uses channels as sources of packages. The default channels are maintained by the Anaconda distribution, while community-driven channels such as conda-forge provide a broad collection of software. Packages are installed with conda install, with dependency resolution handled by the solver. Environments are stored in a directory such as envs, and packages exist in formats such as .conda or tar.bz2.

Conda is distributed as part of the Anaconda distribution and also as Miniconda, a minimal installer that includes the conda tool. It serves as a cross-platform foundation for data science workflows and can interoperate with pip, though users are generally encouraged to install available packages via conda when possible to maintain compatibility. Typical workflows include creating an environment (conda create -n myenv python=3.9), activating it (conda activate myenv), and installing packages (conda install numpy).

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