How to Install Anaconda on Ubuntu 24.04: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you're a data scientist, machine learning engineer, or Python developer, Anaconda is likely one of your go-to tools. It simplifies the setup of data science environments, includes thousands of scientific packages, and manages environments and dependencies efficiently. In this blog, we’ll walk through how to install Anaconda on Ubuntu 24.04, based on the trusted and easy-to-follow instructions from Vultr’s official guide.
What Is Anaconda?
Anaconda is a free and open-source distribution of the Python and R programming languages. It is widely used for data science, machine learning, deep learning, and large-scale data processing. It comes with Conda, a package and environment manager that makes it easier to manage dependencies and libraries in isolated environments.
Why Install Anaconda on Ubuntu 24.04?
Ubuntu 24.04 is the latest long-term support (LTS) release, offering improved performance, stability, and security. Installing Anaconda on Ubuntu 24.04 ensures compatibility with the newest features while maintaining a reliable environment for your data science projects. With Anaconda, you can:
Manage multiple Python environments
Avoid package version conflicts
Access popular data science tools like Jupyter Notebook, Pandas, and Scikit-learn
Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure your system meets these requirements:
You’re using Ubuntu 24.04
You have a non-root user with sudo privileges
You have internet access to download the Anaconda installer
First, open your terminal and update your system:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Step 1: Download the Anaconda Installer
To get started, download the Anaconda installer for Linux. Use the command below as shown in Vultr’s guide:
wget https://repo.anaconda.com/archive/Anaconda3-2024.02-1-Linux-x86_64.sh
This will download the latest version of Anaconda for 64-bit Linux systems.
Step 2: Verify the Installer (Optional)
For added security, you can verify the installer’s SHA-256 checksum:
sha256sum Anaconda3-2024.02-1-Linux-x86_64.sh
Compare the output with the official hash available on the Anaconda website to confirm the file’s integrity.
Step 3: Run the Installer Script
Once downloaded, run the installer using:
bash Anaconda3-2024.02-1-Linux-x86_64.sh
You’ll be prompted to review the license agreement. Type yes to accept it. Then, you can choose the installation directory — the default is typically fine.
Step 4: Initialize Anaconda
After installation, you need to activate Anaconda by initializing it in your shell:
source ~/.bashrc
To verify the installation, type:
conda --version
This should return the installed Conda version, confirming that Anaconda is now active.
Step 5: Create a New Conda Environment (Optional)
Creating isolated environments is a good practice to avoid dependency conflicts:
conda create --name myenv python=3.12
conda activate myenv
You can now install packages specific to your project inside this environment.
Step 6: Launch Anaconda Navigator (Optional GUI)
If you prefer a graphical interface over the command line, you can start Anaconda Navigator, which allows you to manage environments, launch Jupyter, Spyder, and more:
anaconda-navigator
Conclusion
Installing Anaconda on Ubuntu 24.04 is a smart move for any developer or data scientist looking to streamline their workflow. With tools like Conda, Jupyter Notebook, and thousands of pre-installed packages, Anaconda offers a complete ecosystem for data analysis and scientific computing. Following the detailed instructions provided by Vultr’s guide, you can set up Anaconda in just a few steps.
Now that you’ve successfully installed Anaconda, you’re ready to dive into your next data science project on Ubuntu 24.04 with a powerful, flexible environment at your fingertips.
