CheatSheet: How to ensure you use the right Python environment in VS Code interpreter settings?

You often need to maintain many different environments for Python; various options are available to do this. Some of the options to create a virtual environment are covered in my blog post: How to set up a virtual environment for Python?

This post covers to ensure you set the virtual environment for Python in VS Code using venv. It details creating and activating a Python venv, and ensuring it’s used in VS Code environments. The steps include opening the VS Code command palette, selecting an interpreter, and navigating to the pyvenv.cfg file.

You can enable an environment in a Terminal inside VS Code for example withPython venv. The following code is an example to create and activate a Python venv.

python3.11 -m venv client-env-3.11
source ./client-env-3.11/bin/activate

But sometimes you maybe notice that even when the Python venv is activated, the Python environment in the VS Code terminal is different.

which python3

Here are the steps to ensure the Python venv is used in the VS Code you activated.

• Open the VS Code command pallette with Command + Shift + P

• Insert Python: Select interpreter in the VS Code command pallette.

• Use Select at workspace level

• Now use Enter interpreter path …

• Use the option Find …

• Navigate to the pyvenv.cfg file in the ./client-env-3.11/ folder.
• Open a new Terminal by selecting the VS Code
• Verify again that the right Python interpreter environment is set.

which python3

Thats all …

I hope this was useful to you and let’s see what’s next?

Greetings,

Thomas

#python, #vscode, #venv, #interpreter, #cheatsheet

Additional it can be useful:

In case of debugging:

1. Deactivate your existing virtual environment:

source deactivate

2. Create a new virtual environment using VS Code

• “Command + Shift + P“

• The created environment

• Restart VS Code and select the virtual environment

3. Activate the new virtual environment

source $(pwd)/.venv/bin/activate

4. Install the needed dependencies