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Export and Import Environments

Write an environment to a file, then reproduce it in one command on another machine or image — key for collaboration and deployment.

Export to environment.yml​

Linux / macOS
conda activate myenv
conda env export > environment.yml

Resulting environment.yml:

environment.yml
name: myenv
channels:
  - conda-forge
  - defaults
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - numpy=1.26
  - pandas=2.2
  - pip
  - pip:
      - requests==2.31.0

💡 The trailing pip: section records pip-installed packages so pure-Python deps are not lost.

Minimal export (direct deps only)​

conda env export includes all transitive deps, which can be too large to port. Maintain a minimal environment.yml:

environment.yml
name: myenv
channels:
  - conda-forge
dependencies:
  - python=3.11
  - numpy
  - pandas
  - pip
  - pip:
      - requests

Create from file​

On another machine:

Linux / macOS
conda env create -f environment.yml

⚠️ If environment.yml came from conda env export with build strings (e.g. numpy=1.26.4=py311h...), rebuilding on a different platform may fail to find that build. Use the minimal form (just numpy) to let Conda resolve.

Clone locally​

Without a file, copy an env on the same machine (see Environment Commands):

Linux / macOS
conda create -n myenv-copy --clone myenv
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