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Why does `venv` seem to be missing or broken? Isn't it part of the standard library?
I understand the benefits of virtual environments in general, and specifically I want to use a virtual environment so that I'll have access to Pip without exposing the system Python (i.e., included with my Linux distribution) to additional risk. However, python -m venv isn't working for me either.
What gives? Surely venv is part of the standard library? It certainly seems to be listed there.
1 answer
The following users marked this post as Works for me:
| User | Comment | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Karl Knechtel | (no comment) | Jun 27, 2024 at 19:06 |
venv is indeed part of the standard library. However, some Linux distros modify Python to exclude some parts for various reasons, and venv might be among them.
On Debian-based Linux distros you can generally install venv for the system Python with something like apt install python3.x-venv (replace x with the minor version number for your system Python). This is generally safe and recommended for development. Of course, this approach limits you to environments that use the same version of Python.
Alternatively, you could install (or just build) a separate copy of the same version (or whichever other version you need) of Python yourself, keeping it in a location that won't interfere with the system, and use its venv to create virtual environments. This is at least as risky/error-prone, and completely unnecessary for most users. Or you can use an environment management tool such as pyenv, if that doesn't seem like overkill.
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