pixi-env

pixi-env adds global conda-style environments to pixi via a pixi env ... shell wrapper.

All environments are stored under one directory:

• default: ~/.pixi-envs
• override: set PIXI_ENV_HOME=/some/directory

Install

Install with:

curl -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kszenes/pixi-env/refs/heads/master/install.sh | sh

Then enable activation/deactivation and the pixi env ... wrapper in your shell (bash or zsh):

eval "$(pixi-env shell-init)"

Add that line to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc to make it permanent.

Usage

~ $ pixi-env --help
pixi-env - pixi global environments

Usage:
  pixi-env create -n <name> [package ...]  Create a global pixi environment
  pixi-env add [-n <name>] <package ...>   Add packages to an environment (or active env)
  pixi-env remove -n <name>                Delete an environment
  pixi-env list                            List environments
  pixi-env path [-n <name>]                Print global env root or environment path
  pixi-env activate <name>                 Activate an environment (after shell init)
  pixi-env deactivate                      Deactivate the active environment
  pixi-env run -n <name> -- <command>      Run a command in an environment
  pixi-env shell-init                      Print shell integration for bash/zsh
  pixi-env help                            Show this help

Pixi wrapper after shell-init:
  pixi env create -n <name> [pkg ...]
  pixi env list
  pixi env activate <name>
  pixi env deactivate
  pixi env add [-n <name>] <pkg ...>
  pixi env remove -n <name>
  pixi env path [-n <name>]
  pixi env run -n <name> -- <cmd>


Environment variables:
  PIXI_ENV_HOME                            Directory where environments are stored (default: ~/.pixi-envs)

Install shell integration by adding this to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:
  eval "$(pixi-env shell-init)"

Example use cases:

pixi env create -n py311 python==3.11
pixi env activate py311
pixi add pandas matplotlib              # adds to active pixi-env env
pixi env add -n py311 pandas matplotlib # explicit env
pixi env run -n py311 -- python -c 'import numpy; print(numpy.__version__)'
pixi env path                           # prints the env root directory
pixi env path -n py311                  # prints one env directory
pixi env remove -n py311

pixi-env remains available as the backend command if you prefer it:

pixi-env create -n py311 python=3.11
pixi-env activate py311

Notes

Each global environment is a normal pixi project stored at $PIXI_ENV_HOME/<name>. Its default environment prefix is $PIXI_ENV_HOME/<name>/.pixi/envs/default.

pixi env activate / pixi-env activate and pixi env deactivate / pixi-env deactivate require the shell integration because a subprocess cannot modify the parent shell environment directly.

On activation, pixi-env also sets conda-compatible environment variables (CONDA_PREFIX, CONDA_DEFAULT_ENV, CONDA_PROMPT_MODIFIER, CONDA_SHLVL) so prompt tools such as Starship can display the active environment.