> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://anaconda.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Channel management

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Channels let administrators curate specific sets of <Tooltip tip="Software files and information about the software, such as its name, version, and description, bundled into a file that can be installed and managed by a package manager.">packages</Tooltip> and control who can access them. By creating virtual channels and applying [policy filters](/anaconda-platform/cloud/admin/policy-filters) to them, you're defining unique sets of packages to meet the needs of specific users. Assigning both a channel and its intended users to a [group](/anaconda-platform/cloud/admin/groups) ensures that only those users can access the packages the channel contains.

<Tip>
  Just getting started? For basic information about channels, see [What is a channel?](/getting-started/concepts/what-is-a-channel)
</Tip>

## Channel types

* **Anaconda channels**: Anaconda hosts several channels that connect to our premium, curated <Tooltip tip="Any storage location from which software or software assets, like packages, can be retrieved and installed on a local computer.">repository</Tooltip> and provide you with thousands of the most popular data science platform software packages available on the open source market today.

  * `main`: The default channel for Anaconda. It contains the most popular packages from the Anaconda repository.
  * `main-x` <Badge shape="pill" stroke color="blue">Beta</Badge>: A new authenticated Anaconda channel containing \~6,000 new conda packages built by Anaconda. It is meant to be used alongside `main`.
  * `r` <Badge shape="pill" stroke color="orange">Deprecated</Badge>: Provides packages built for the R programming language.
  * `msys2`: Provides packages built for Windows.

  <Accordion title="Blocking the main-x channel">
    The `main-x` channel is automatically included among the Anaconda Channels. To disable this channel:

    1. [Sign in to anaconda.com](https://auth.anaconda.com/ui/login/3d474eee-11cc-450b-a0a0-f7d642cb8b01).
    2. Select your organization.
    3. Click **Channels**.
    4. Under **POLICIES**, click **Create** <Icon icon="plus" iconType="regular" />.
    5. Use “block\_main\_x” for the **Policy Name**.
    6. Click **Add Filter** under **Exclude package if** and enter the following criteria:
       * Filter Type: Conda spec
       * Conda Spec: \*
    7. Click **Save**.
    8. On the Channels page, click the **Anaconda** tab.
    9. In the channel list, locate `main-x`.
    10. In the Active Policy column, click **Apply** <Icon icon="plus" iconType="regular" />.
    11. In the **POLICIES** list, select "block\_main\_x".
    12. Click **Apply** to confirm.

    The `main-x` channel will not be hidden by this policy, but users will no longer be able to install packages from it.

    To re-enable access, remove the policy attached to the `main-x` channel.
  </Accordion>

* **Community channels**: Community channels provide organizations with access to a broader ecosystem of conda packages that are built and maintained by volunteers in the open-source community. These packages are included in Anaconda's security pipeline and are compatible with Anaconda packages.

  <Note>
    While the individual *packages* in the community channels are maintained by volunteers, the *channels* themselves are hosted and maintained by Anaconda.

    ***

    Community-maintained packages are selected for inclusion in the community channels based on Anaconda's review of their compatibility with Anaconda-built packages.

    ***

    Community channels are not enabled by default. For more information about enabling community channels, see [Enabling community channels](/anaconda-platform/cloud/admin/channels#enabling-community-channels).
  </Note>

  <AccordionGroup>
    <Accordion title="Differences between Anaconda and Community channels">
      <GTable cols="20% 40% 40%">
        <GHead>
          <GRow>
            <GTH>Feature</GTH>
            <GTH>Anaconda official channels</GTH>
            <GTH>Community channels</GTH>
          </GRow>
        </GHead>

        <GBody>
          <GRow>
            <GCell>**Package Maintenance**</GCell>
            <GCell>Maintained by Anaconda</GCell>
            <GCell>Maintained by community contributors</GCell>
          </GRow>

          <GRow>
            <GCell>**Package Security**</GCell>
            <GCell>Comprehensive security review; includes package signatures and CVE curation metadata</GCell>
            <GCell>Security is on par with official channels; CVE reporting</GCell>
          </GRow>

          <GRow>
            <GCell>**Support**</GCell>
            <GCell>Anaconda support</GCell>

            <GCell>
              * Community support
              * Anaconda support
            </GCell>
          </GRow>

          <GRow>
            <GCell>**Policy Use**</GCell>

            <GCell>
              * CVE score
              * CVE status
              * License family
              * conda spec
              * Package age
              * Platform
            </GCell>

            <GCell>
              * CVE score
              * License family
              * conda spec
              * Package age
            </GCell>
          </GRow>
        </GBody>
      </GTable>

      <Note>
        For more information about policies, see [Policy filters](/anaconda-platform/cloud/admin/policy-filters).
      </Note>
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Community channel best practices">
      When building <Tooltip tip="A self-contained, isolated space for installing and running software packages.">environments</Tooltip> using the `community` channel, Anaconda recommends the following best practices:

      * Only use the `community` channel when you cannot find the package you need in Anaconda's channels.

      * When installing packages from the `community` channel, try to get as many dependencies as possible for those packages from Anaconda's channels.

        To accomplish this, use the following syntax when installing packages from the `community` channel:

        ```sh theme={null}
        conda install https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/community::<PACKAGE_NAME>
        ```

            <Comments>
              Replace \<PACKAGE\_NAME> with the name of the package you want to install.
            </Comments>

        This helps ensure that the package is compatible with other packages in your environment by instructing conda to install only the named package from the community channel, then use the channels configured in your `.condarc` file to install the dependencies for the environment in priority order.

      * List the community channel in your `.condarc` file at the end of the `channels:` list to give them the lowest priority. Conda will only use this channel when necessary to fulfill transitive package dependencies, because conda's default setting is for strict channel priority.

        Edit the `.condarc` file manually or run the following command to add the community channel to the `channels:` list:

        ```sh theme={null}
        conda config --append channels https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/community
        ```

            <Note>
              Because all community packages have a CVE Status of Reported, virtual channels that use community as a source should not include filters for CVE Status in their policies.
            </Note>
    </Accordion>

    <span id="enabling-community-channels" />

    <Accordion title="Enabling community channels">
      Community channels must be enabled by an organization administrator before they can be used. To enable community channels:

      1. [Navigate to your Organizations page](https://anaconda.cloud/profile/organizations).
      2. Select your organization.
      3. Select <Icon icon="network-wired" iconType="regular" /> **Channels** from the left-hand navigation.
      4. Click the **Community packages** tab.
      5. Click **Enable Channel** beside the channel.
      6. Click **Confirm** to accept the Terms of Service (ToS) and enable the channel.

      <Note>
        Access to community channels can also be managed from the <Icon icon="pen-to-square" iconType="regular" /> [Organization Settings page](/anaconda-platform/cloud/admin/organizations#organization-settings).
      </Note>
    </Accordion>
  </AccordionGroup>

* **Virtual channels**: Virtual channels are copies of their source channel. For example, if you create a virtual channel from the Anaconda `main` channel, it contains the same packages as `main`.

  <Note>
    You can create virtual channels using any of Anaconda's hosted channels as a source.
  </Note>

* **External channels**: External channels point to an anaconda.org URL to look for packages.

  <Note>
    You cannot apply [policy filters](./policy-filters) to external channels. Currently, Anaconda only supports connection to external channels located at [https://conda.anaconda.org/](https://conda.anaconda.org/), but we plan to support any URL soon.
  </Note>

## Channel permissions

There are two levels of permissions associated with channels in Anaconda: *internal* and *private*.

* **Internal channels**: Internal channels are visible to all members of your organization who have been assigned a seat.

* **Private channels**: Private channels have their contents restricted to those members who are part of the group the channel is assigned to. For more information about assigning channels to a group, see [Groups](/anaconda-platform/cloud/admin/groups).

Organization Administrators can change the permission level of a channel at any time.

1. From the <Icon icon="network-wired" iconType="regular" /> **Channels** page, open the actions dropdown beside the channel.
2. Select either *Make Channel Internal* or *Make Channel Private*. (Your available option depends on the current permissions level of the channel.)

<Note>
  Private channels that are not assigned to a group are only visible to organization administrators.
</Note>

## Creating a channel

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Virtual channel">
    1. From the <Icon icon="network-wired" iconType="regular" /> **Channels** page, click <Icon icon="plus" iconType="regular" /> **Create channel** to open the Create Channel dialog.
    2. Enter a unique channel name.
    3. Select **Virtual** as your channel type.
    4. Select channel from the **Source** dropdown.
    5. Set the permission level for the channel.
    6. Click **Save**.

    <Note>
      Virtual channels using `community` as a source might take a few minutes to complete.
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="External channel">
    1. From the <Icon icon="network-wired" iconType="regular" /> **Channels** page, click <Icon icon="plus" iconType="regular" /> **Create channel** to open the Create Channel dialog.

    2. Enter a unique channel name.

    3. Select **External** as your channel type.

    4. Enter a valid anaconda.org channel URL.

           <CodeGroup>
             ```sh External channel format theme={null}
             https://conda.anaconda.org/<CHANNEL_NAME>
             ```

             ```sh Example  theme={null}
             https://conda.anaconda.org/bioconda
             ```
           </CodeGroup>

    5. Set the permission level for the channel.

    6. Click **Save**.

    <Note>
      Creation time for external channels varies based on the size of the source channel.
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Channel tracking

Track your channels to receive emails at configurable intervals to keep up-to-date with the latest changes to your channels' contents.

1. From the <Icon icon="network-wired" iconType="regular" /> **Channels** page, click **Channel Tracking** to view the **Track Channels** page.

   <Note>
     You can also track a channel from the channel details page.
   </Note>

2. Select your channel from the list, choose which types of emails you would like to receive, and then set the frequency at which you would like to receive them. You can receive emails in realtime, daily, or weekly.

   <Tip>
     Because deltas are generated when the policy filter runs, the realtime option can generate a maximum of one email every four hours.
   </Tip>

3. Click **Save** to retain your changes.

   <Frame>
     <img src="https://mintcdn.com/anaconda-29683c67/38V1XTpdo_dUNFXe/images/ap_channel_tracking_configs.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=38V1XTpdo_dUNFXe&q=85&s=5280313b8dce2686dcbd0fcd1a238d9f" alt="Channel tracking configurations" width="1922" height="1030" data-path="images/ap_channel_tracking_configs.png" />
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