virtual-env.md

Creating a Python Virtual Environment in VS Code

A virtual environment is a self-contained directory that contains a Python installation for a specific version of Python, as well as any packages and dependencies required by a project. This allows you to work on multiple Python projects with different dependencies without them interfering with each other.

VS Code provides an easy way to create and manage virtual environments for your Python projects. Here are the steps to create a virtual environment in VS Code:

1. Open your Python project in VS Code.
2. Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows, Linux) or Cmd + Shift + P (macOS).
3. Type in "Python: Create New Environment" and select the option from the dropdown menu.
4. Choose a name and location for your virtual environment, and select the version of Python you want to use.
5. VS Code will create a new virtual environment and automatically activate it in the terminal.

You can now install packages and dependencies for your project in the virtual environment using pip, just like you would in a regular Python environment. To deactivate the virtual environment, simply type deactivate in the terminal.

It is good practice to include the virtual environment in your project repository by adding it to your .gitignore file. This ensures that anyone who clones your project can create and activate the same virtual environment.

That's it! You can now work on your Python project with confidence that your dependencies won't conflict with each other.