3: Virtual Environments (venv)
- Page ID
- 474525
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With the release of Debian 12 (Bookworm) third party packages can no longer be installed in the system level python installation and must be installed in a virtual environment. This tutorial will go over how to do this. First you need to be sure the venv module is installed. Run the following code and it will let you know if it is already installed, or give you the option to install it.
sudo apt install python3-venv
Now create a folder for your virtual environment, we will call it my_venv for my virtual environment (you can call it anything you want, and many programs call the folder venv, as that helps you recognize what it is). Note, this may take a few seconds. Be sure you are in the directory you want to be in when you do this.
python3 -m venv my_venv
If you want to see what is in it type
ls my_venv
and you will see the pyvenv.cfg file along with several folders.
To activate use the following code
source my_venv/bin/activate
You will not that (my_venv) is now in front of the prompt
Now you can install packages in your virtual environment. for example, if you want to install gpio zero type
pip install gpiozero
To deactivate the virtual environment simple type deactivate. Note, that is not a linux command, but a shell function.
deactivate
Note, if you want to reactivate the virtual environment from your home directory you need to give the source-activate command a path to the bin folder
now you see (my_venv) in front of the prompt
Thonny and venv
You now need to set up Thonny to use the python interpreter in the virtual environment
Go to Tools/Options/interpreter. If the virtual environment does not show in the dropdown box, click the three dots to the right of the dropdown arrow

Now navigate to the bin directory of your venv and pick the python interpreter you want to run
