Create empty conda environment

Question

I can create a new conda environment, with program biopython with this:

conda create --name snowflakes biopython

What if I do

Answer 1

To create an environment that is absolutely empty, without python and/or any other default package, just make a new folder in envs directory in your Anaconda installation (Anaconda3 in this example):.

~\Anaconda3\envs>mkdir empy_env

The first time that you activate this environment a directory named Scripts in Windows, bin in Linux, with a few batch files are created. At the time of this post this works for Anaconda version 4.3.30 both in Windows and Linux.

I have noticed that @cel has suggested the same thing in the first comment under the question, but obviously it hasn't got the attention it deserves!