How to Create and Manage Python Virtual Environments on Ubuntu 14.04

Installing Python on Ubuntu 14.04 is straightforward using apt‑get, and this article focuses on setting up Python virtual environments.

1. Install virtualenv

Run the command: sudo pip install virtualenv If this fails, use the alternative: sudo apt‑get install python‑virtualenv After installation, verify with: pip list Images below illustrate the installation process.

2. Create a virtual environment

Navigate to the desired directory and run:

virtualenv demo

3. Activate the environment

Enter the environment’s bin directory and activate it:

source activate

After activation, running python starts the Python 3 interpreter.

4. Create a Python 2 virtual environment

Run:

virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python2 py2

Activate it similarly:

source activate

Before switching, deactivate the current environment with:

deactivate

5. Verify the interpreter

Inside the py2 environment, running python launches Python 2.

6. Exit the environment

Simply run:

deactivate

Now you can freely create and switch between Python virtual environments on Ubuntu.