virtualenv
virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated Python virtual environments. Virtual environments are self-contained directories that contain a Python installation for a particular version of Python, plus additional packages.
Core Functionality
- Creates isolated Python environments with their own site directories
- Installs pip into virtual environments for package management
- Provides activation scripts to easily switch between environments
- Supports multiple Python interpreters and versions
Design Philosophy
virtualenv aims to solve dependency conflicts and version management by providing true isolation between Python environments. Each environment maintains its own independent set of Python packages that won’t interfere with the global Python installation or other virtual environments.
What virtualenv Doesn’t Handle
- Installing Python versions (use tools like pyenv or uv for this)
- Project dependency management (use pip or other package managers)
- Packaging and distribution of Python applications
- Environment activation across different shell sessions
Pros
- Very lightweight and focused on one core task
- Highly stable
- Well-integrated with pip and the Python ecosystem
Cons
- Manual environment activation required
- No automatic dependency management
- Can be confusing for beginners
- Limited project management features
- No built-in support for project requirements files
- Requires understanding of Python environments
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