How to install ipython using your command prompt

Installing IPython Using Your Command Prompt

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IPython is a powerful tool for data science and scientific computing in Python. It provides enhanced interactive shells with features like syntax highlighting, tab completion, history recall, and more.

In this article, we will walk you through the process of installing IPython using your command prompt on Windows 10/8/7 or later versions.

Prerequisites

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Before proceeding, ensure that:

1. You have Python installed (version >=3.6 is recommended).

2. Your system has pip and/or conda package managers available.

3. You are running an administrator-level Command Prompt as a local user with write permissions to your `C:\Users\\` directory.

Step 1: Activate the Desired Virtual Environment

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IPython can be installed in multiple Python environments on your machine, each isolated from others. To avoid conflicts or versioning issues, it is highly recommended to create and activate an isolated environment for IPython before proceeding:

```bash

# Using pip (not recommended)

virtualenv -p C:\PythonX-64\python3.8 ipython_env

# Alternately using conda

conda create --name my_ipython_venv python=3.6 ipykernel

# Activate the newly created environment

activate ipython_env # or source activate for Linux/MacOS

# Alternatively, if you are using conda:

conda activate my_ipython_env

```

Step 2: Install IPython Using pip or conda

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Once your virtual environment is active:

### Using pip (Recommended)

If you prefer to use pip as your package manager, open a new Command Prompt/terminal and navigate to the directory where you want to install IPython. Then execute:

```bash

pip3 install ipykernel --user -r requirements.txt # Only if you have an existing `requirements.txt` file.

```

### Using conda (Recommended for Anaconda Users)

For users who have installed Python using Miniconda or Anaconda distribution, open a new Command Prompt/terminal and navigate to the directory where you want to install IPython. Then execute:

```bash

# If this is your first time installing with conda or if ipykernel isn't available yet.

conda env create -n my_ipython_venv -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ipython/cookiecutter-ipython-repo/master/envs/torch.yaml

# Activate the newly created environment

source activate my_ipython_ # For Linux/MacOS or:

activate my_ipython # On Windows.

conda install ipykernel

pip3 install nbconvert==6.2.0 --upgrade --user -r requirements.txt # Only if you have an existing `requirements.txt` file.

```

Step 3: Verify IPython Installation

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To verify that IPupyter has been successfully installed, open a new Command Prompt/terminal and navigate to the directory where your Jupyter notebook or ipykernel was placed. Then execute:

```bash

jupyter kernelspec list

# You should see an entry for 'ipython3' in this output.

```

Step 4: Select IPython Kernel in Jupyter Notebook

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1. Launch a new instance of the Anaconda Prompt/Command Prompt as administrator (right-click on Start > More Apps and select 'Anaconda Command Prompt' or 'Windows PowerShell').

2. Navigate to your working directory containing your Jupyter notebook.

3. To start a local IPython kernel server, execute:

```bash

jupyter kernelspec install --user ipykernel

# Or if you have conda installed,

anaconda-navigator --profile=your_profile_name # Replace 'your_profile_name' with the name of your Anaconda profile.

```

4. Open Jupyter notebook in a web browser by typing `localhost:8888?token=` into its address bar (replace `` with an actual token displayed on-screen).

5. Click 'New' > 'Python 3' or select the IPython kernel from the dropdown list at top-right corner of Jupyter notebook interface.

6. You should now see a new cell open up in which you can write and execute Python code using IPython's enhanced features!

Troubleshooting

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If you encounter any issues during installation, please refer to 'IPython Installation Guide'(https://ipython.readthedocs.io/en/stable/install.html#installation-guide) for detailed troubleshooting instructions.

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Congratulations! You have successfully installed and set up IPython using your command prompt on Windows 10/8/7 or later versions. With this powerful tool at hand, you are now ready to dive into the world of interactive Python computing with Jupyter notebooks and other frontends. Happy coding!

How to install ipython using your command prompt