Project creation

Recognized project inputs

Conda Code checks exact filenames at the registered Python project root.

Filename	Provider	Result	Additional creation packages
environment.yml	conda, CEP 24	Regular named environment	Allowed
environment.yaml	conda, CEP 24	Regular named environment	Allowed
explicit.txt	conda, CEP 23	Exact named environment	Refused
conda-lock.yml	conda-lockfiles	Exact named environment	Refused
conda-lock.yaml	conda-lockfiles	Exact named environment	Refused

Conda Code lists the conda-lock filenames whenever they are present. Creation requires conda-lockfiles 0.2 or newer for the configured conda executable.

Conda Code does not automatically treat requirements.txt, spec.txt, or pixi.lock as project creation inputs. requirements.txt normally describes pip packages in Python projects. Pixi workspaces stay with Pixi Code when it is installed, or with conda-workspaces otherwise.

Selected file action

Conda Code: Create Environment from File accepts one of the exact filenames above when it is open from the root of a registered local Python project. It derives an available named environment from the project directory, creates from that file, and selects the result for the project.

The selected file is authoritative for this action. If several supported files exist at the project root, the action uses the open file without prompting for the others. For example, running it from environment.yml uses that file even when conda-lock.yml is present.

Nested files, files outside a registered Python project, and other filenames are refused.

Python Environments creation precedence

Creation started through Python Environments follows this order:

1. An existing discovered workspace offers its uninstalled environment declarations.

2. Quick Create uses the only recognized project input.

3. Without an input, Quick Create creates a conda.toml workspace when permitted.

4. Global and multi-project creation creates a named environment.

When several recognized project inputs exist, Quick Create fails. Interactive creation lists every recognized input and lets the user choose.

Interactive project creation also offers:

• a new workspace when permitted

• a regular prefix at <project>/.conda

• a regular named environment

The project .conda prefix is never selected by Quick Create.

Naming

The selected file action and Quick Create derive a named environment from the project directory name. They replace unsupported characters with hyphens and add -1, -2, and later suffixes until the name is available.

Interactive creation asks for a name. Names must start with a letter or number and may contain letters, numbers, dots, underscores, and hyphens. base, root, and existing named environments are refused.

For project input files, Conda Code runs:

conda create --yes --json --name NAME --file FILE

The working directory is the project root. --name overrides a name or prefix declared by a CEP 24 file.

Exact inputs

For explicit.txt, conda-lock.yml, and conda-lock.yaml, Conda Code also passes --no-default-packages. This prevents conda’s configured create_default_packages from changing the exact result.

Additional packages supplied by the creation flow are refused for exact inputs.

File lifecycle

Project input files are used only during creation. Conda Code does not watch, rewrite, export, or synchronize them. The created environment is subsequently discovered and managed as a regular named conda environment.