======Python Virtual Environment======

Q: Admin can you **install** package //X//?

Q: Can you **remove** package //Y// which is conflicting with //X// and meanwhile update package //Z//?

Q: On second thought, Can I do **anything** I want **without having to ask**?


Hopefully you'll like the **third** question the best. The short answer is NO (in general) , however within **python realms** the answer is a big YES and saves quite a lot of developer's time as well as sysadmins. So with that in mind let's see what we need:

Basically the idea is for you to have your copy of python, which you have COMPLETE power of. This python is not different than the regular python, but it's just a virtual one, so that anyone can have as many python environments as needed without needing to change the system for all users.

**virtualenv** is a tool to create **isolated Python** environments. virtualenv creates a folder which contains all the necessary executables to use the packages that a Python project would need.
Just what you need, a standalone python which is yours and you have the control over it..! Thus you** don’t need any super privileges** to install libraries or better yet you can have multiple python environments with different settings and packages. The steps to get and use this tool is quite easy:

=====Install it using PIP (Skip this step in COR@L Machines)=====

<code bash>$ pip install virtualenv</code>
=====Setup=====
Create a folder to contain the files regarding to virtual python instance . Running the second command creates the mentioned folder named “vpython”.

<code bash>$ mkdir myPython && cd myPython
$ virtualenv vpython</code>
  -  To start using the new python

=====Initialize=====
<code bash>$ source vpython/bin/activate
(vpython)$</code> 
From now on any **python runs** or installations using **pip** will be done corresponding to the python copy located at **vpython**. This is what the// (vpython)// means in your **bash** prompt. Feel free to install any packages you like without any problems.!


=====Going back to Normal=====
After your work is done you can simply deactivate the active environment and get back to normal boring settings.!


<code bash>$ deactivate</code> 

<note>Contact [[:coral_lab#administrators|Alireza [sey212]]] for more help regarding this page.</note>