Repository files navigation

The Python Environments extension for VS Code helps you manage Python environments and packages using your preferred environment manager, backed by its extensible APIs. This extension provides unique support for specifying environments for specific files, entire Python folders, or projects, including multi-root and mono-repo scenarios. The core feature set includes:

• 🌐 Create, delete, and manage environments
• 📦 Install and uninstall packages within the selected environment
• ✅ Create activated terminals
• 🖌️ Add and create new Python projects

Note: This extension is in preview, and its APIs and features are subject to change as the project evolves.

Important: This extension requires version2024.23, or later, of the Python extension (ms-python.python).

The "Python Projects" fold shows you all of the projects that are currently in your workspace and their selected environments. From this view you can add more files or folders as projects, select a new environment for your project, and manage your selected environments.

The "Environment Managers" fold shows you all of the environment managers that are available on your machine with all related environments nested below. From this view, you can create new environments, delete old environments, and manage packages.

The Python Environments panel provides an interface to create, delete and manage environments.

To simplify the environment creation process, you can use "Quick Create" to automatically create a new virtual environment using:

• Your default environment manager (e.g.,venv)
• The latest Python version
• Workspace dependencies

For more control, you can create a custom environment where you can specify Python version, environment name, packages to be installed, and more!

The following environment managers are supported out of the box:

Environment managers are responsible for specifying which package manager will be used by default to install and manage Python packages within the environment (venv usespip by default). This ensures that packages are managed consistently according to the preferred tools and settings of the chosen environment manager.

The extension also provides an interface to install and uninstall Python packages, and provides APIs for extension developers to contribute package managers of their choice.

The extension usespip as the default package manager, but you can use the package manager of your choice using thepython-envs.defaultPackageManager setting. The following are package managers supported out of the box:

A "Python Project" is any file or folder that contains runnable Python code and needs its own environment. With the Python Environments extension, you can add files and folders as projects in your workspace and assign individual environments to them allowing you to run various projects more seamlessly.

Projects can be added via the Python Environments pane or in the File Explorer by right-clicking on the folder/file and selecting the "Add as Python Project" menu item.

There are a couple of ways that you can add a Python Project from the Python Environments panel:

The Python Environments extension was built to provide a cohesive and user friendly experience withvenv as the default. However, the extension is built with extensibility in mind so that any environment manager could build an extension using the supported APIs to plug-in and provide a seamless and incorporated experience for their users in VS Code.

Seeapi.ts for the full list of Extension APIs.

To consume these APIs you can look at the example here:API Consumption Examples

The extension provides a set of callable commands that can be used to interact with the environment and package managers. These commands can be invoked from other extensions or from the command palette.

Create a new environment using any of the available environment managers. This command will prompt the user to select the environment manager to use. Following options are available on this command:

{/**     * Default `false`. If `true` the creation provider should show back button when showing QuickPick or QuickInput.     */showBackButton?:boolean;/**     * Default `true`. If `true`, the environment after creation will be selected.     */    selectEnvironment?:boolean;/**     * Provides some context about quick create based on user input.     *   - if true, the environment should be created without any user input or prompts.     *   - if false, the environment creation can show user input or prompts.     *     This also means user explicitly skipped the quick create option.     *   - if undefined, the environment creation can show user input or prompts.     *     You can show quick create option to the user if you support it.     */    quickCreate?:boolean;/**     * Packages to install in addition to the automatically picked packages as a part of creating environment.     */    additionalPackages?:string[];}

usage:await vscode.commands.executeCommand('python-envs.createAny', options);

The Python Environments extension supports shell startup activation for environments. This feature allows you to automatically activate a Python environment when you open a terminal in VS Code. The activation is done by modifying the shell's startup script, which is supported for the following shells:

• Bash:~/.bashrc
• Zsh:~/.zshrc
• Fish:~/.config/fish/config.fish
• PowerShell:
  • (Mac/Linux):~/.config/powershell/profile.ps1
  • (Windows):~\Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
• CMD:~/.cmdrc/cmd_startup.bat

If at any time you would like to revert the changes made to the shell's script, you can do so by runningPython Envs: Revert Shell Startup Script Changes via the Command Palette.

1. Add or updateHKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Command ProcessorAutoRun string value to use a command script.
2. A command script is added to%USERPROFILE%\.cmdrc\cmd_startup.bat
3. A script namedvscode-python.bat is added to%USERPROFILE%\.cmdrc and called fromcmd_startup.bat

contents ofcmd_startup.bat

:: >>> vscode pythonif"%TERM_PROGRAM%"=="vscode" (ifnotdefined VSCODE_PYTHON_AUTOACTIVATE_GUARD (set"VSCODE_PYTHON_AUTOACTIVATE_GUARD=1"ifexist"%USERPROFILE%\.cmdrc\vscode-python.bat"call"%USERPROFILE%\.cmdrc\vscode-python.bat"    )):: <<< vscode python

contents ofvscode-python.bat

:: >>> vscode python:: version: 0.1.0ifdefined VSCODE_CMD_ACTIVATE (call%VSCODE_CMD_ACTIVATE%):: <<< vscode python

1. Runspowershell -Command $profile to get the profile location
2. If it does not exist creates it.
3. Adds following code to the shell profile script:

#region vscode pythonif ($null-ne$env:VSCODE_PWSH_ACTIVATE) {Invoke-Expression$env:VSCODE_PWSH_ACTIVATE}#endregion vscode python

1. Adds or creates~/.bashrc
2. Updates it with following code:

# >>> vscode python# version: 0.1.0if [-n"$VSCODE_BASH_ACTIVATE" ]&& ["$TERM_PROGRAM"="vscode" ];theneval"$VSCODE_BASH_ACTIVATE"||truefi# <<< vscode python

1. Adds or creates~/.zshrc
2. Updates it with following code:

# >>> vscode python# version: 0.1.0if [-n"$VSCODE_BASH_ACTIVATE" ]&& ["$TERM_PROGRAM"="vscode" ];theneval"$VSCODE_BASH_ACTIVATE"||truefi# <<< vscode python

1. Adds or creates~/.config/fish/config.fish
2. Updates it with following code:

# >>> vscode python# version: 0.1.0iftest"$TERM_PROGRAM" ="vscode";andset-q  VSCODE_FISH_ACTIVATEeval$VSCODE_FISH_ACTIVATEend# <<< vscode python

This section provides an overview of how the Python extension interacts with the Python Environments extension and other tool-specific extensions. The Python Environments extension allows users to create, manage, and remove Python environments and packages. It also provides an API that other extensions can use to support environment management or consume it for running Python tools or projects.

Tools that may rely on these APIs in their own extensions include:

• Debuggers (e.g.,debugpy)
• Linters (e.g., Pylint, Flake8, Mypy)
• Formatters (e.g., Black, autopep8)
• Language Server extensions (e.g., Pylance, Jedi)
• Environment and Package Manager extensions (e.g., Pixi, Conda, Hatch)

The relationship between these extensions can be represented as follows:

Users who do not need to execute code or work inVirtual Workspaces can use the Python extension to access language features like hover, completion, and go-to definition. However, executing code (e.g., running a debugger, linter, or formatter), creating/modifying environments, or managing packages requires the Python Environments extension to enable these functionalities.

VS Code supports trust management, allowing extensions to function in eithertrusted oruntrusted scenarios. Code execution and tools that can modify the user’s environment are typically unavailable in untrusted scenarios.

The relationship is illustrated below:

Intrusted mode, the Python Environments extension supports tasks like managing environments, installing/removing packages, and running tools. Inuntrusted mode, functionality is limited to language features, ensuring a secure and restricted environment.

This project welcomes contributions and suggestions. Most contributions require you to agree to aContributor License Agreement (CLA) declaring that you have the right to, and actually do, grant usthe rights to use your contribution. For details, visithttps://cla.opensource.microsoft.com.

When you submit a pull request, a CLA bot will automatically determine whether you need to providea CLA and decorate the PR appropriately (e.g., status check, comment). Simply follow the instructionsprovided by the bot. You will only need to do this once across all repos using our CLA.

This project has adopted theMicrosoft Open Source Code of Conduct.For more information see theCode of Conduct FAQ orcontactopencode@microsoft.com with any additional questions or comments.

• If you have a question about how to accomplish something with the extension, pleaseask on our Discussions page.
• If you come across a problem with the extension, pleasefile an issue.
• Contributions are always welcome! Please see ourcontributing guide for more details.
• Any and all feedback is appreciated and welcome!
  • If someone has alreadyfiled an issue that encompasses your feedback, please leave a 👍/👎 reaction on the issue.
  • Otherwise please start anew discussion.
• If you're interested in the development of the extension, you can read about ourdevelopment process.

The Microsoft Python Extension for Visual Studio Code collects usage data and sends it to Microsoft to help improve our products and services. Read ourprivacy statement to learn more. This extension respects thetelemetry.enableTelemetry setting which you can learn more about athttps://code.visualstudio.com/docs/supporting/faq#_how-to-disable-telemetry-reporting.

This project may contain trademarks or logos for projects, products, or services. Authorized use of Microsoft trademarks or logos is subject to and must followMicrosoft's Trademark & Brand Guidelines.Use of Microsoft trademarks or logos in modified versions of this project must not cause confusion or imply Microsoft sponsorship.Any use of third-party trademarks or logos are subject to those third-party's policies.