tutorials/02_intro_to_anaconda.md


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# Intro to Anaconda Navigator
#

Anaconda Navigator is a program that we will be using in this course to manage Python environments, libraries and launch programs to help us write our python code.

The Anaconda website nicely describes *Navigator* as:
<blockquote>
	<p> a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables you to work with packages and environments without needing to type conda commands in a terminal window.Find the packages you want, install them in an environment, run the packages, and update them – all inside Navigator.
<blockquote>


Note to windows 10 users: Some installation instances do not allow users to search the start menu for *Navigator*, instead, you'll have to find the program under the *Anaconda (anaconda3)* folder. Expand the folder and click on *Anaconda Navigator* to launch the program.

![Anaconda Navigator screen](figures/installingAnaconda_windows_launched.png)

Once Navigator starts, under *Home*, you'll see tiles of programs that come with anaconda. The tab allows you to launch the programs we will be using in this course. Before jumping straight into the programs we will first need to configure our Python instance.

The *Environment* tab allows us to install python a variety of libraries and configure our environements for different project, more on this in the next section.

## Environments
A Python environment is like a "container" where you can have all the tools, libraries, and dependencies your Python project needs without interfering with other projects. Think of it as a toolbox dedicated to a specific task.

Let us go ahead and create a new environment for us to use


## Package Management