Installing a different version of Python without overwriting the current version in conda

To install a different version of Python without overwriting the current version, create a new environment and install the second Python version into it:

1. Create the new environment:

   • To create the new environment for Python 3.6, in your Terminal window or an Anaconda Prompt, run:

     conda create -n py36 python=3.6 anaconda

     NOTE: Replace py36 with the name of the environment you want to create. anaconda is the metapackage that includes all of the Python packages comprising the Anaconda distribution. python=3.6 is the package and version you want to install in this new environment. This could be any package, such as numpy=1.7, or multiple packages.

   • To create the new environment for Python 2.7, in your Terminal window or an Anaconda Prompt, run:

     conda create -n py27 python=2.7 anaconda

2. Activate the new environment.

3. Verify that the new environment is your current environment.

4. To verify that the current environment uses the new Python version, in your Terminal window or an Anaconda Prompt, run:

   python --version