Linux

48364 readers

1121 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

AgreeableLandscape@lemmy.ml

nooter692@lemmy.ml

MarcellusDrum@lemmy.ml

cypherpunks@lemmy.ml

cyclohexane@lemmy.ml

d3Xt3r@lemmy.nz

What is it with this externally-managed-environment pip install error? (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Smorty@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/linux@lemmy.ml

13 comments fedilink hide all child comments

marty@Marty-PC:~/git/exllama$ pip install numpy
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
    
    See /usr/share/doc/python3.12/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.

I get this error every time I try install any kind of python package. So far, I always just used the --break-system-packages flag, but that seems, well, rather unsafe and breaking.

To this day, I see newly written guides, specifically for Linux, which don't point out this behaviour. They just say [...] And then install this python package with 'pip install numpy'

Is this something specific to my system, or is this a global thing?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I always create a virtual environment for each project I run like that. This way you can have your own versions of packages for each project without them interfearing with each other. This is also what the error message sugests in the beginning, so if you have the time I would investigate it and learn about it: https://python.land/virtual-environments/virtualenv

[–] Smorty@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Is there a reason windows users don't get this error?

[–] maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zone 9 points 3 weeks ago

Python is used extensively in Linux distributions and in some or a lot of cases for distribution package management. In order to avoid breaking your 'externally managed' system pip is warning you and providing an easy to use method for using it and any packages you install through it.