Use the browser workbench#
This tutorial prepares, resolves, examines, and exports one conda environment from the first-party browser interface. The workbench does not create or change an environment.
Start the server#
Start conda-presto in one terminal:
conda presto --serve
Wait until the server is ready:
curl --fail --silent --show-error http://127.0.0.1:8000/health
Open http://127.0.0.1:8000/ in a browser.
Check specs and file content locally.
Select packages for each platform.
Inspect versions, builds, and dependencies.
Render an installed conda exporter.
Prepare the request#
The initial request contains python=3.13 and numpy. Keep conda-forge as
the channel and the displayed native platform as the target.
Add a second numpy line, then select Check input. The result reports a
DUP001 warning without running the solver or contacting the channel.
Remove the duplicate and select Check input again. The result should report that the input is ready. Informational findings can remain. They describe portable input choices rather than solver failures.
Resolve the environment#
Select Resolve environment. The workbench submits the same normalized request used by the JSON API and shows one result section per target platform.
The heading reports the number of selected packages and the observed request
time. When the response can be retained, Open retained JSON links to its
content-addressed /r/<hash> location.
Important
A retained result is a snapshot. Submit a new resolve request when current channel metadata matters. The server rechecks repodata before reusing the mutable resolve cache.
Examine selected packages#
Find python in the package table. Compare its version and build with the
original input, then open its dependency count.
Repeat this for numpy. The expanded list shows the dependency specifications
recorded in channel metadata. The workbench displays those values as text. It
does not download or inspect package payloads.
Render exporter output#
Change Output from Native package table to
environment-yaml, then select Resolve environment again.
The same request is solved through conda’s exporter registry. The result now
shows the rendered environment file instead of the package table. Other
installed formats, including lockfile exporters supplied by
conda-lockfiles, appear in the same selector.
Paste an environment file#
Open Paste an environment file. Keep the filename as environment.yml and
paste:
channels:
- conda-forge
dependencies:
- python=3.13
- numpy
Clear the package-spec field before resolving if you want the file to be the only input. The filename selects an installed conda environment-specifier plugin. Package specs left in the main field are added to the parsed file specs.
What you learned#
Prepare runs deterministic checks without solving or channel access.
Resolve uses the same limits, channel policy, cache, and solver as the HTTP API.
Examine presents package metadata without installing anything.
Output uses conda’s registered exporters rather than a parallel renderer.
Continue with Resolve through the HTTP API for curl requests or Review and repair an environment for repair, diff, and dependency explanations.