Pixi

Pixi#

What is Pixi?#

Pixi is a modern package management tool that makes it easy to install and manage software dependencies for your projects. Think of it as a smart assistant that:

  • Installs packages - Downloads and sets up the software you need

  • Manages environments - Keeps different projects separate so they don’t conflict

  • Handles dependencies - Automatically figures out what other software is needed

  • Works cross-platform - Runs the same way on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Why Use Pixi?#

If you’ve ever struggled with “it works on my computer but not yours” problems, Pixi helps solve that. It creates reproducible environments where everyone working on a project gets exactly the same software versions.

Key Benefits#

  • Fast - Downloads and installs packages quickly

  • Reliable - Ensures everyone gets the same setup

  • Simple - Easy commands to get started

  • Compatible - Works with existing Python, R, and other ecosystems

This section will be expanded with installation instructions and examples in the following parts of the course.

MORE PIXI TO COME LATER!

Creating Environments#

Just Create the Environment (Don’t Run Tasks)#

If you want to create the pixi environment without running any tasks:

pixi install

This command:

  • Reads your pixi.toml file

  • Creates the environment

  • Installs all dependencies

  • Does NOT run any tasks

Create Environment AND Run a Task#

If you want to both create the environment and run a specific task:

pixi run startup

This command:

  • Creates the environment (if it doesn’t exist)

  • Installs dependencies

  • Also runs the “startup” task

Tip: Use pixi install when you just want to set up the environment for the first time or update dependencies without running anything.

Load environment in VSCode#

To run a script with a pixi created environment

[ctrl][shift][p] to open command pallette
‘Python: Select Interpreter’
‘Enter Interpreter Path’
‘Browse your file system’

Then (see below screenshot) select Python interpreter

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Make Pixi Environment Available to VS Code Notebooks#

There are two ways to use your pixi environment with VS Code notebooks:

Option 2: Select Python Interpreter Directly#

In any notebook:

  1. Click the kernel selector (top right of notebook)

  2. Choose “Select Another Kernel”

  3. Choose “Python Environments”

  4. Browse to your pixi environment’s Python executable

Pixi environment location: Usually in .pixi/envs/default/bin/python (Linux/Mac) or .pixi/envs/default/python.exe (Windows)

Troubleshooting#

  • “No module ipykernel”: Add it with pixi add ipykernel first

  • Can’t find environment: Use pixi info to see environment path

  • Kernel not showing up: Restart VS Code after registering kernel

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