How do I keep track of pip-installed packages in an Anaconda (Conda) environment?

Question

I\'ve installed and have been using the Anaconda Python distribution, and I have started using the Anaconda (Conda) environment. I can use the standard conda install..

Answer 1

You can start by installing the below given command in the conda environment:

conda install pip

Followed by installing all pip packages you need in the environment.

After installing all the conda and pip packages to export the environment use:

conda env export -n <env-name> > environment.yml

This will create the required file in the folder

Answer 2

conda-env now does this automatically (if pip was installed with conda).

You can see how this works by using the export tool used for migrating an environment:

conda env export -n <env-name> > environment.yml

The file will list both conda packages and pip packages:

name: stats
channels:
  - javascript
dependencies:
  - python=3.4
  - bokeh=0.9.2
  - numpy=1.9.*
  - nodejs=0.10.*
  - flask
  - pip:
    - Flask-Testing

If you're looking to follow through with exporting the environment, move environment.yml to the new host machine and run:

conda env create -f path/to/environment.yml

Answer 3

This is why I wrote Picky: http://picky.readthedocs.io/

It's a python package that tracks packages installed with either pip or conda in either virtualenvs and conda envs.

Answer 4

conda env export lists all conda and pip packages in an environment. conda-env must be installed in the conda root (conda install -c conda conda-env).

To write an environment.yml file describing the current environment:

conda env export > environment.yml

References:

• https://github.com/conda/conda-env/
• https://github.com/conda/conda-env/issues/12