New Release: Anaconda Distribution 2023.07, Miniconda 23.5.0, and More!
Sheetal Kalburgi
2min
We are pleased to announce the release of Anaconda Distribution 2023.07! Find the relevant release notes here, and download the installer here.
Package Updates
You’ll find 595 packages updated, 381 packages added, and 41 packages removed (across all platforms) since the last release of Anaconda Distribution 2023.03 in March 2023. The Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 installer uses Python 3.11 in the base environment. Users can create additional Python environments with Python 3.8, 3.9, or 3.10. Updated packages include:
- Numpy 1.24.3
- SciPy 1.10.1
- Pandas 1.5.3
- Matplotlib 3.7.1
- And many more!
We are thrilled to share that the Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 installer now includes updated releases from the HoloViz ecosystem, including:
- Panel 1.1.0: A powerful framework that enables the creation of interactive dashboards and data exploration tools by seamlessly integrating various visualization and widget libraries. High-level reactive APIs and lower-level callback-based APIs ensure you can quickly build exploratory applications, but you aren’t limited if you build complex, multi-page apps with rich interactivity. Find a visual overview of some of the most exciting new features in the 1.1.0 releases here.
- hvPlot 0.8.4: A high-level plotting package that extends the pandas and Xarray plotting APIs to generate interactive plots and data pipelines.
- HoloViews 1.16.2: The HoloViews package is a unique Python library that simplifies data analysis and visualization through its declarative programming approach and support for multiple backends. It seamlessly integrates with other scientific computing libraries, making it a powerful tool for efficient and expressive data exploration and communication.
- Datashader 0.15.0: Datashader is a graphics pipeline system for creating meaningful representations of large datasets quickly and flexibly. The new release enables many new aggregations, adds Python 3.11 compatibility, and improves CUDA support.
→ Check out this free on-demand course on how to use all of the above tools!
Explore our Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 metapackages here, now equipped with full Python 3.11 support. Revisit this February blog post for more information on our enhanced Python 3.11 compatibility.
Important Security Fix for Windows Installers
Your security and user experience are our top priorities. As mentioned in our post “Important Update: Security Fix for Windows Installers,” we have resolved an issue in our Windows Anaconda Distribution and Miniconda installers that could unintentionally delete files. To ensure data safety, we recommend using the latest versions released after July 11, 2023. For older versions, download this patch to remediate the flaw. This issue only affects systems where users have administrator access and an affected version of the Anaconda Distribution or Miniconda installer is present. Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 contains the fixed uninstallation code. To uninstall older versions of Anaconda Distribution installers released before July 11, 2023, please download the security patch fix prior to uninstallation.
The security patch for Anaconda Distribution installer is available to download here, and the security patch for Miniconda installer is available to download here.
Conda Updates
Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 comes with an updated conda 23.5.0 containing several user-facing enhancements and bug fixes. Notable additions include Python 3.11 support, a much-requested first iteration of a new conda doctor
subcommand, a new conda list--reverse
command to retrieve a reversed list of installed packages, and warnings for misconfigurations when signature verification is enabled. Bug fixes address issues such as conda clean
not failing when file stats are unavailable. Additionally, there are various improvements in the build system, test fixtures, and handling of package cache metadata. Various older features have been marked for future deprecation. Overall, conda 23.5.0 brings improved functionality, performance optimizations, and bug fixes for a better user experience. Take a look at the release notes for the complete list of improvements.
Finally, conda-libmamba-solver 23.5.0 is included in the Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 installer so as to be accessible to more users. conda-libmamba-solver is the conda plugin package that enables conda to use the solver backend from the mamba project, drastically improving speed and error reporting in conda. The solver uses libmamba 1.4.1 behind the scenes, which introduces significant enhancements and bug fixes to improve the user experience. These user-facing changes in conda-libmamba-solver contribute to a more reliable and efficient package management experience. Upgrade now to enjoy these enhancements and a smoother workflow. For more information about the conda-libmamba-solver release 23.5.0, please refer to the release notes and getting started guide.
As a bit of a spoiler for later this year, the conda project maintainers are currently planning to enable conda-libmamba-solver by default in September 2023 as part of the conda 23.9.0 release window. Please see the blog post from the conda open-source project over at conda.org for more information about the rollout.
anaconda-catalogs
The Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 installer introduces the inclusion of anaconda-catalogs, a Python library aimed at simplifying the process of discovering and importing data into notebooks within Anaconda’s cloud notebooks. By utilizing the anaconda-catalogs
library, users can now effortlessly load Intake catalogs from the service, leveraging a catalog ID. This functionality can be used locally or in Anaconda’s cloud notebooks via the “Anaconda Data Catalogs” tab where users can explore and create notebooks based on sample catalogs. For more information, check out our documentation here.
What else is new?
Miniconda 23.5.0
Experience the enhanced, more user-friendly Miniconda 23.5.0 installation process. Benefit from the advanced conda-libmamba-solver and the security fix as noted above. The security patch for Miniconda is available to download here. To uninstall older versions of Miniconda installers released before July 11, 2023, please download the security patch fix prior to uninstallation. Additionally, Miniconda 23.5.0 comes with full support for OpenSSL 3, bringing improved performance and security. Explore these comprehensive release notes to learn more.
Download Miniconda 23.5.0 now!
Anaconda Navigator GUI Updates
The latest version of Anaconda Navigator 2.4.2 is shipped with the 2023.07 installer. We’ve also added support for Python 3.11 as part of this update, so you can take advantage of the latest advancements in the Python ecosystem. In addition, Anaconda Navigator 2.4.2 comes with support for conda 23.5.0 for improved package management capabilities and enhanced performance to make managing packages and dependencies all the more smooth. For the full list of updates, please see the Anaconda Navigator release notes.
And there’s more good news!
We’ve made a significant improvement to the installation process for an enhanced user experience. After completing the Anaconda Distribution installation, Anaconda’s environment and package management GUI (Anaconda Navigator) will now auto-launch. Now you can get started right away, with clear guidance for new users on how to create a working environment! This includes helpful “getting started” instructions accessible through links on Windows. We’ve implemented the auto-launch of Anaconda Navigator on macOS and Windows. (On Windows, you can decide whether or not you want to open Anaconda Navigator, which is enabled by default. On macOS, you can simply click on the “Customize” button during installation and tailor your experience to your preferences.) This streamlined approach not only simplifies the onboarding process but also allows users to seamlessly connect to their Anaconda Cloud (formerly Anaconda Nucleus) accounts by prompting them to log in when Anaconda Navigator launches.
As mentioned, we’ve enhanced the final step in the Anaconda Navigator installation process to provide you with direct and convenient links to log into your Anaconda Cloud account to code in Anaconda cloud notebooks, straight from the summary page! Now you can enjoy a hassle-free user experience right from the moment you complete installation. Stay connected and make the most of our powerful cloud features with ease!
Upcoming: Introducing OpenSSL 3 Support
As mentioned earlier this month, we have nearly 90% of packages built and compatible with OpenSSL 3. OpenSSL 1.1.1 will discontinue on September 11, 2023, and to provide you with the best experience we will sunset older OpenSSL versions in phases. Until the end of support of OpenSSL 1.1.1, we will continue to provide support for both OpenSSL 3 and OpenSSL 1.1.1 package builds.
Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 does not currently include OpenSSL 3 packages. However, the next update to the Anaconda Distribution installer will fully support OpenSSL 3. Stay tuned!
Python 3.12 Preview Channel
Python 3.12 is on the horizon! Python 3.12 is scheduled to be released at the end of 2023, with major compatible packages such as NumPy 1.26 expected to be released soon after. To indulge your curiosity and cater to early adopters, we are excited to introduce a preview channel featuring Python-3.12-compatible packages. Explore this growing collection that offers a glimpse into the future of Python development.
Please note that while these packages provide a sneak peek into the upcoming release, functionality may vary, and availability on all architectures may be limited. Some packages may be in beta or release candidate versions. Currently, the channel includes Python 3.12.0 beta 3, pip 23.1.2, setuptools 67.8.0, certifi 2023.5.7, and cython 3.0.0 beta 3.
If you’re eager to get a head start with Python 3.12, simply run the following command to install it from the preview channel:
conda create -n python-312-preview -c "ad-testing/label/py312" python
Stay Current!
We hope you’re as excited about Anaconda Distribution 2023.07 as we are! To stay current with new releases and other news, keep an eye on our blog and visit Anaconda’s package repositories news page on Anaconda Cloud. Thank you!
You Might Also Be Interested In
Talk to an Expert
Talk to one of our experts to find solutions for your AI journey.