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Choosing an Environment Manager

Before installing Simmate, you need a tool to manage your Python "environments." This ensures that Simmate and its dependencies don't interfere with other software on your computer.

Which tool should I use?

We recommend choosing based on your comfort level with coding:

Best for: Most users, including those comfortable with (or willing to learn) the command line.

  • Speed: Extremely fast. What takes Anaconda 10 minutes to "solve," uv can often do in seconds.
  • Simplicity: A single, lightweight tool that handles everything.
  • Installation: Continue with the instructions below.

Option 2: Anaconda

Best for: Absolute beginners who prefer a graphical interface (buttons and menus) to get started.

  • Ease of Use: Includes Anaconda Navigator, a visual dashboard for managing your software.
  • Trade-off: It is a much larger download and can be significantly slower when installing new packages.
  • Installation: Continue with the instructions below.

Why do I need this?

In an ideal world, you could download Simmate like any other desktop app and be ready to go. However, Python projects often require specific versions of different tools. For instance:

  1. Simmate requires Python version 3.11.
  2. Another program might require an older version, like Python 3.8.

An environment manager (like uv or Anaconda) isolates these projects into separate "folders" or environments. This prevents them from conflicting and ensures your software always works as expected.

If you've decided to go with uv, follow these steps to get set up. For a complete guide, visit the official uv installation page.

Open your terminal and run the command for your operating system:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

After running the command, you may need to restart your terminal for the uv command to become available. You can verify it's working by typing uv --version.

Installing Anaconda

If you've decided to go with Anaconda, follow these steps to get set up on your local desktop or laptop.

1. Download and Install

Visit the Anaconda download page and download the installer for your operating system. You do not need to create an account; just run the installer and stick to the default options.

Tip

If you work at a large company (>200 employees), Anaconda requires a paid license. In that case, download Miniforge instead—it's free, open-source, and works exactly the same way.

2. Open Anaconda Navigator

Once installed, launch Anaconda Navigator. This is your central hub. On the home screen, you'll see several apps like Jupyter Notebook and Spyder. We'll use these later to write your own Python code.

3. View Environments

Click the Environments tab on the left. You'll see a base environment already exists. You can create new ones here, though in the next tutorial, we'll show you how to do this much faster using the command line.

Tip

If you want a more comprehensive overview of Anaconda, they offer a series of getting-started guides. However, these guides aren't necessary for using Simmate (so don't spend more than 10 minutes browsing through them).

Next Steps

Now that you have your manager installed, it's time to learn how to talk to it. Even if you're using Anaconda, the fastest way to work is through the Command-line.