> ## 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.
# Configuring environments and sample projects
When you create a new project in Data Science & AI Workbench, you must select a base environment for the project. Anaconda provides several base Anaconda environments, along with Python, R, or Hadoop-Spark environments for you to choose from.
If these environments do not suit your needs, you can create a custom environment, then include it in the list of environments that are available upon project creation.
## Creating your environment
1. Log in to Workbench as a user with administrator permissions.
The `anaconda-enterprise` user has the proper permissions.
2. Click **Create** and select *New Project*.
3. Select any **Environment** and **Resource Profile**, then click **Create**.
4. Open a session for the project.
5. Open a terminal in the project session.
6. Configure conda to create new environments in the environments directory by running the following command:
```
export CONDA_ENVS_DIRS=/opt/continuum/envs
export CONDA_PKGS_DIRS=/opt/continuum/envs/.pkgs
```
7. [Use conda to create or clone your custom environment](https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/stable/user-guide/tasks/manage-environments.html).
Here is an example command for creating a conda environment:
```
# Replace with a name for your new environment
conda create -y --clone --name
```
Here is an example command for cloning a conda environment:
```
# Replace with the name of the environment you want to clone
# Replace with a name for your new environment
conda create -y -n python=3.8 ipykernel
```
`python` and `ipykernel` *must* be included in every environment you create for Workbench.
## Providing your environment to users
There are two methods for providing your environment to your users:
* Place the environment in the sample projects gallery and allow other users to clone the environment as a project.
* Include the environment as an available option in the **Environment** dropdown when creating a new project.
Both of these methods are accomplished by creating a project template archive (`.tar.bz2`) file that uses the environment you just created, and then placing the file in the correct directory.
The project template archive file must contain, at a minimum, the `anaconda-project.yml` file. For more information and help building projects, see the official [Anaconda Project documentation](https://anaconda-project.readthedocs.io/en/latest/).
1. In your terminal, navigate to the project directory by running the following command:
```
cd /opt/continuum/project
```
2. Create a directory to store an `anaconda-project.yml` file for your custom environment by running the following command:
```
# Replace with the name of your project
mkdir
```
3. Create a copy of your current project’s `anaconda-project.yml` file in the directory you just created by running the following command:
```
# Replace with the name of your project
cp anaconda-project.yml
```
4. Enter the project directory you just created by running the following command:
```
# Replace with the name of your project
cd /opt/continuum/project/
```
5. Using your preferred file editor, edit the `anaconda-project.yml` file in your project directory to represent your custom environment. This involves updating the `name:`, `description:`, `packages:`, and `env_specs:` sections of the file.
Delete the commented section below `env_specs:` showing available packages. It is likely that these do not align with your custom environment.
Your project’s `name:` will display on the **Sample Projects** grid *or* the **Environments** dropdown list after the project is created.
```
# Replace with your projects name
# Replace with a description of your environment
# Replace with the name of the environment you created or cloned
name:
description:
packages:
- python=3.8
- ipykernel
platforms:
- linux-64
env_specs:
: {}
```
6. Create an archive file for the project, then set permissions for it by running the following commands:
```
# Replace with your project name
cd /opt/continuum/project
tar cfj .tar.bz2
chmod 644 .tar.bz2
```
This archive file is the template that other projects will use as a starting point for their own projects.
7. Move your project archive file to the sample project gallery by running the following command:
```
# Replace with your project name
mv /opt/continuum/project/.tar.bz2 /gallery
```
8. Enter the sample gallery directory by running the following command:
```
cd /gallery
```
9. (Optional) If you want to include the environment as an available option in the **Environment** dropdown when creating a new project, add the project archive file name (`.tar.bz2`) to the `TEMPLATES` file. Save and close the file when complete. Otherwise, skip this step.
10. Update the sample projects gallery to include your project by running the following command:
```
python reindex.py
```
11. Verify that you can either find and select your sample project on the **Sample Projects** page, or select your environment from the **Environment** dropdown when creating a new project.