This is an article specifically for installing ‘virtualenv’ package or tool. In the manual page, virtualenv is a package for creating a python virtual environment. One of the advantage provided in python programming language is the existance of python virtual environment. It is an isolated environment where the module management is limited only in that environment. The following are steps for installing virtualenv tool or package in Ubuntu Linux 18.04 :
1. Chcek the availability of the ‘virtualenv’ tool or package in Ubuntu Linux 18.40. Just execute the following command in the command line :
user@hostname:~/python$ apt list --installed | grep virtualenv WARNING: apt does not have a stable CLI interface. Use with caution in scripts. python3-virtualenv/bionic,now 15.1.0+ds-1.1 all [installed,automatic] virtualenv/bionic,now 15.1.0+ds-1.1l all [installed] user@hostname:~/python$
There is a specific difference between the two of the above packages. Although both of them have the same function for creating python virtual environment, they are for different python version. The first one, python3-virtualenv is for python 3 and the next one is for the old version of python. Check the information of the package using the command ‘apt show package_name’. The following is the output showing information bout python3-virtualenv :
user@hostname:~/python$ apt show python3-virtualenv Package: python3-virtualenv Version: 15.1.0+ds-1.1 Priority: optional Section: universe/python Source: python-virtualenv Origin: Ubuntu Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <[email protected]> Original-Maintainer: Debian Python Modules Team <[email protected]> Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug Installed-Size: 140 kB Depends: python-pip-whl (>= 8.1.1-2), python3, python3-distutils, python3-pkg-resources, python3:any (>= 3.3.2-2~) Homepage: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenv Download-Size: 43.4 kB APT-Manual-Installed: no APT-Sources: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 Packages Description: Python virtual environment creator The virtualenv utility creates virtual Python instances, each invokable with its own Python executable. Each instance can have different sets of modules, installable via easy_install. Virtual Python instances can also be created without root access. . This is the Python 3 version of the library. user@hostname:~/pytho
On the other hand, virtualenv also has the same function but it is for the old version or the original version of python as in the information follows :
E: Command line option 's' [from -s] is not understood in combination with the other options. user@hostname:~/python$ apt show virtualenv Package: virtualenv Version: 15.1.0+ds-1.1 Priority: optional Section: universe/python Source: python-virtualenv Origin: Ubuntu Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <[email protected]> Original-Maintainer: Debian Python Modules Team <[email protected]> Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug Installed-Size: 30.7 kB Depends: python3, python3-virtualenv Breaks: python-virtualenv (<< 1.11.6) Replaces: python-virtualenv (<< 1.11.6) Homepage: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenv Download-Size: 4,476 B APT-Manual-Installed: yes APT-Sources: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 Packages Description: Python virtual environment creator The virtualenv utility creates virtual Python instances, each invokable with its own Python executable. Each instance can have different sets of modules, installable via easy_install. Virtual Python instances can also be created without root access. . This is the command line script and manpage. user@hostname:~/python$
If the above output for checking the installed virtualenv is not exist, just execute the following command to install the virtualenv. Depends on the installed python available in the system, adjust the virtualenv package name. Do it either as follows :
apt-get -y install python3-virtualenv
or do the other version :
apt-get -y install virtualenv
Last but not least, execute the following command to check if the ‘virtualenv’ tool or package is a success :
user@hostname:~/python$ virtualenv
You must provide a DEST_DIR
Usage: virtualenv [OPTIONS] DEST_DIR
Options:
--version show program's version number and exit
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-v, --verbose Increase verbosity.
-q, --quiet Decrease verbosity.
-p PYTHON_EXE, --python=PYTHON_EXE
The Python interpreter to use, e.g.,
--python=python3.5 will use the python3.5 interpreter
to create the new environment. The default is the
interpreter that virtualenv was installed with
(/usr/bin/python)
--clear Clear out the non-root install and start from scratch.
--no-site-packages DEPRECATED. Retained only for backward compatibility.
Not having access to global site-packages is now the
default behavior.
--system-site-packages
Give the virtual environment access to the global
site-packages.
--always-copy Always copy files rather than symlinking.
--relocatable Make an EXISTING virtualenv environment relocatable.
This fixes up scripts and makes all .pth files
relative.
--no-setuptools Do not install setuptools in the new virtualenv.
--no-pip Do not install pip in the new virtualenv.
--no-wheel Do not install wheel in the new virtualenv.
--extra-search-dir=DIR
Directory to look for setuptools/pip distributions in.
This option can be used multiple times.
--download Download pre-installed packages from PyPI.
--no-download, --never-download
Do not download pre-installed packages from PyPI.
--prompt=PROMPT Provides an alternative prompt prefix for this
environment.
--setuptools DEPRECATED. Retained only for backward compatibility.
This option has no effect.
--distribute DEPRECATED. Retained only for backward compatibility.
This option has no effect.
--unzip-setuptools DEPRECATED. Retained only for backward compatibility.
This option has no effect.
user@hostname:~/python$
Since the command of working because of the generated output above, the installation of ‘virtualenv’ package is finished.
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