Setting Up a Python Virtual Environment on Sophia

Default Python Version

The default Python on Sophia is located at /usr/bin/python with version 3.9.18.

Creating a Virtual Environment

Creating a virtual environment allows you to manage dependencies for your Python projects independently. This is particularly useful when working on multiple projects with different dependencies or versions of packages. Follow these steps to set up a virtual environment on Sophia:

1. Create a Virtual Environment:

   python -m venv myenv
   

   Replace myenv with your preferred name for the virtual environment. This will create a directory with the specified name containing the virtual environment.

2. Activate the Virtual Environment:

   source myenv/bin/activate
   

   After activation, your command prompt will change to indicate the virtual environment is active.

3. Upgrade pip:

   While this step is optional, it is a good habit to use the latest version of pip:

   pip install --upgrade pip
   

4. Install Packages: Use pip to install necessary packages:

   pip install package_name
   

   Replace package_name with the name of the package you want to install.

Creating a Jupyter Kernel

If you would like to use your Python virtual environment on JupyterHub, you will need to create a Jupyter kernel for it.

1. Install ipykernel: Ensure ipykernel is installed in your virtual environment:

   pip install ipykernel
   

2. Create a Jupyter Kernel:

   python -m ipykernel install --user --name=myenv --display-name "Jupyter (myenv)"
   

   Replace myenv with the name of your virtual environment and "Jupyter (myenv)" with the display name you want for the kernel in JupyterHub.