Using both Python 2.x and Python 3.x in IPython Notebook

Question

I use IPython notebooks and would like to be able to select to create a 2.x or 3.x python notebook in IPython.

I initially had Anaconda. With Anaconda a global envi

Answer 1

If you’re running Jupyter on Python 3, you can set up a Python 2 kernel like this:

python2 -m pip install ipykernel

python2 -m ipykernel install --user

http://ipython.readthedocs.io/en/stable/install/kernel_install.html

Answer 2

These instructions explain how to install a python2 and python3 kernel in separate virtual environments for non-anaconda users. If you are using anaconda, please find my other answer for a solution directly tailored to anaconda.

I assume that you already have jupyter notebook installed.

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First make sure that you have a python2 and a python3 interpreter with pip available.

On ubuntu you would install these by:

sudo apt-get install python-dev python3-dev python-pip python3-pip

Next prepare and register the kernel environments

python -m pip install virtualenv --user

# configure python2 kernel
python -m virtualenv -p python2 ~/py2_kernel
source ~/py2_kernel/bin/activate
python -m pip install ipykernel
ipython kernel install --name py2 --user
deactivate

# configure python3 kernel
python -m virtualenv -p python3 ~/py3_kernel
source ~/py3_kernel/bin/activate
python -m pip install ipykernel
ipython kernel install --name py3 --user
deactivate

To make things easier, you may want to add shell aliases for the activation command to your shell config file. Depending on the system and shell you use, this can be e.g. ~/.bashrc, ~/.bash_profile or ~/.zshrc

alias kernel2='source ~/py2_kernel/bin/activate'
alias kernel3='source ~/py3_kernel/bin/activate'

After restarting your shell, you can now install new packages after activating the environment you want to use.

kernel2
python -m pip install <pkg-name>
deactivate

or

kernel3
python -m pip install <pkg-name>
deactivate

Answer 3

From my Linux installation I did:

sudo ipython2 kernelspec install-self

And now my python 2 is back on the list.

Reference:

http://ipython.readthedocs.org/en/latest/install/kernel_install.html

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UPDATE:

The method above is now deprecated and will be dropped in the future. The new method should be:

sudo ipython2 kernel install

Answer 4

Under Windows 7 I had anaconda and anaconda3 installed. I went into \Users\me\anaconda\Scripts and executed

sudo .\ipython kernelspec install-self

then I went into \Users\me\anaconda3\Scripts and executed

sudo .\ipython kernel install

(I got jupyter kernelspec install-self is DEPRECATED as of 4.0. You probably want 'ipython kernel install' to install the IPython kernelspec.)

After starting jupyter notebook (in anaconda3) I got a neat dropdown menu in the upper right corner under "New" letting me choose between Python 2 odr Python 3 kernels.

Answer 5

A solution is available that allows me to keep my MacPorts installation by configuring the Ipython kernelspec.

Requirements:

• MacPorts is installed in the usual /opt directory
• python 2.7 is installed through macports
• python 3.4 is installed through macports
• Ipython is installed for python 2.7
• Ipython is installed for python 3.4

For python 2.x:

$ cd /opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin
$ sudo ./ipython kernelspec install-self

For python 3.x:

$ cd /opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.4/bin
$ sudo ./ipython kernelspec install-self

Now you can open an Ipython notebook and then choose a python 2.x or a python 3.x notebook.