conda env create

Overview

The conda env create command creates a new conda environment from an environment definition file (typically environment.yml). This is the recommended way to create reproducible environments from a specification file.

Syntax

conda env create [options]

By default, conda env create looks for a file named environment.yml in the current directory. Use -f to specify a different file.

Target Environment Specification

-n, --name

string

Name of environment. Overrides the name specified in the environment.yml file.

-p, --prefix

string

Full path to environment location (i.e. prefix). Use this to create the environment at a specific location.

File Options

-f, --file

string

default:"environment.yml"

Environment definition file. Can be:

environment.yml - Conda environment specification
requirements.txt - Pip-style requirements file
Any file supported by environment specifier plugins

You can specify the file path relative to your current directory or use an absolute path.

Channel Customization

-c, --channel

string

Additional channel to search for packages. Can be specified multiple times.

--use-local

boolean

Use locally built packages. Identical to ‘-c local’.

-O, --override-channels

boolean

Do not search default or .condarc channels. Requires --channel.

Environment Specifier Options

--environment-specifier

string

Specify which environment specifier plugin to use for parsing the environment file.

Solver Options

--solver

string

Choose which solver backend to use.

Platform Options

--platform, --subdir

string

Target platform/subdir for the environment (e.g., linux-64, osx-64, win-64).

Package Options

--no-default-packages

boolean

Do not install default packages (specified in .condarc). Only install packages explicitly listed in the environment file.

Output and Prompt Options

--json

boolean

Report all output as JSON. Suitable for using conda programmatically.

-d, --dry-run

boolean

Only display what would have been done. Outputs the solved environment specification without actually creating the environment.

-y, --yes

boolean

Sets any confirmation values to ‘yes’ automatically. If the environment already exists at the target location, it will be removed and recreated.

-v, --verbose

boolean

Can be used multiple times. Once for INFO, twice for DEBUG, three times for TRACE.

-q, --quiet

boolean

Do not display progress bar.

Networking Options

-C, --use-index-cache

boolean

Use cache of channel index files, even if it has expired.

-k, --insecure

boolean

Allow conda to perform “insecure” SSL connections and transfers.

--offline

boolean

Offline mode. Don’t connect to the Internet.

Environment File Format

YAML Format (environment.yml)

The standard conda environment file uses YAML format:

name: myenv
channels:
  - conda-forge
  - defaults
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - numpy
  - pandas>=1.5
  - pip
  - pip:
    - requests
    - flask
variables:
  DATABASE_URL: postgresql://localhost/mydb
  DEBUG: "true"

Requirements.txt Format

You can also use pip-style requirements.txt:

numpy==1.24.0
pandas>=1.5.0
requests

Examples

Create environment from default file

conda env create

Creates an environment from environment.yml in the current directory.

Create with custom environment name

conda env create -n myenv

Creates an environment named myenv, overriding the name in the file.

Create from specific file

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

Creates an environment from a file at a specific location.

Create from requirements.txt

conda env create -f requirements.txt -n myenv

Creates an environment from a pip requirements file.

Create at specific location

conda env create -f environment.yml -p /home/user/envs/myenv

Creates the environment at the specified path.

Dry run to preview changes

conda env create --dry-run

Shows what would be installed without actually creating the environment.

Create with additional channel

conda env create -f environment.yml -c conda-forge

Adds conda-forge channel in addition to channels specified in the file.

Create without default packages

conda env create -f environment.yml --no-default-packages

Creates environment with only packages specified in the file, ignoring default packages from .condarc.

Common Use Cases

Reproducible project environments

Share environment.yml with your team for consistent environments:

name: data-project
channels:
  - conda-forge
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - pandas=2.0
  - scikit-learn=1.3
  - jupyter

conda env create -f environment.yml

Multi-platform environments

Create environments that work across different platforms:

name: cross-platform
channels:
  - conda-forge
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - numpy
  - pandas

The solver will automatically select appropriate packages for your platform.

Environments with environment variables

Set environment variables automatically:

name: web-app
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - flask
variables:
  FLASK_APP: app.py
  FLASK_ENV: development

Mixed conda and pip dependencies

Combine conda and pip packages:

name: mixed-deps
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - numpy
  - pip
  - pip:
    - requests
    - some-pip-only-package

Development environments from GitHub

Create environments from files hosted online:

conda env create -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/user/repo/main/environment.yml

Behavior Notes

Existing Environment HandlingIf an environment with the same name already exists:

Without -y flag: You’ll be prompted to remove and recreate it
With -y flag: The existing environment will be automatically removed and recreated

Name PriorityWhen both the file and command line specify a name:

Command line -n/--name takes precedence
File’s name: field is used if no command line name
If neither is specified, you must provide one

Platform-Specific PackagesIf the subdir is different from the native platform, conda will write it to the environment’s .condarc file for future operations.

Troubleshooting

Unable to create environment - no name specified

Ensure either:

Your environment.yml has a name: field
You provide -n or -p flag

conda env create -n myenv -f environment.yml

File not found

Check that the file exists and the path is correct:

ls -l environment.yml
conda env create -f ./environment.yml

Package conflicts

Use --dry-run to see what will be installed:

conda env create --dry-run

conda env update - Update an existing environment
conda env export - Export environment to a file
conda create - Create environment from command line
conda env remove - Remove an environment
conda activate - Activate the created environment

Overview

Package Management

Environment Management

Configuration Commands

Additional Commands

conda env create

Overview

Syntax

Target Environment Specification

File Options

Channel Customization

Environment Specifier Options

Solver Options

Platform Options

Package Options

Output and Prompt Options

Networking Options

Environment File Format

YAML Format (environment.yml)

Requirements.txt Format

Examples

Create environment from default file

Create with custom environment name

Create from specific file

Create from requirements.txt

Create at specific location

Dry run to preview changes

Create with additional channel

Create without default packages

Common Use Cases

Behavior Notes

Troubleshooting

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Package Management

Environment Management

Configuration Commands

Additional Commands

​Overview

​Syntax

​Target Environment Specification

​File Options

​Channel Customization

​Environment Specifier Options

​Solver Options

​Platform Options

​Package Options

​Output and Prompt Options

​Networking Options

​Environment File Format

​YAML Format (environment.yml)

​Requirements.txt Format

​Examples

​Create environment from default file

​Create with custom environment name

​Create from specific file

​Create from requirements.txt

​Create at specific location

​Dry run to preview changes

​Create with additional channel

​Create without default packages

​Common Use Cases

​Behavior Notes

​Troubleshooting

​Related Commands

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Syntax

Target Environment Specification

File Options

Channel Customization

Environment Specifier Options

Solver Options

Platform Options

Package Options

Output and Prompt Options

Networking Options

Environment File Format

YAML Format (environment.yml)

Requirements.txt Format

Examples

Create environment from default file

Create with custom environment name

Create from specific file

Create from requirements.txt

Create at specific location

Dry run to preview changes

Create with additional channel

Create without default packages

Common Use Cases

Behavior Notes

Troubleshooting

Related Commands