Python

On the Linux computers of CIRRELT/GERAD, python3 is already installed. If this version is ok with you, you can use it. If you need another version, you can have a look at the modules and use of of those instead.

module avail python

Virtual environments

A python virtual environmenent is a space where you can install packages that don't interfere with packages from another environment. This allows to have multiple projects with different dependencies and not be in a situtation where one needs a specific version and another needs another.

Creating an virtual environment is easy. Go to the directory of your project and use this command:

python3 -m venv project1

This will create the project1 virtual environment in the directory where you are.

Then, to use the environment and be able to install packages in it, you have to activate it:

source project1/bin/activate

When you no longer need that environment or you want to switch, you can use the command

deactivate

Anaconda

We have a module for anaconda but it will no longer be updated since it is complex and brings problems with with environment and the graphical logins.

If you absolutely need it, you can install miniconda or possibly miniforge that uses mamba which is usually a faster dependency resolver than conda.