Blog

If you leave a virtual environment active or don’t use it properly, following issues and conflicts may occur:

1. Dependency Conflicts: If you install packages globally while the virtual environment is active, they might conflict with packages needed for other projects or the system’s Python environment.
2. Version Mismatch: Different projects might require different versions of the same package. Installing packages globally without a virtual environment can cause version mismatches and compatibility issues.
3. Unintended Package Installations: Installing packages while a virtual environment is not active could lead to unintended changes in the global Python environment, affecting other projects or system tools.
4. Difficulty in Managing Dependencies: Without using virtual environments, managing and tracking dependencies for different projects becomes cumbersome and error-prone.

To avoid these issues, always activate the virtual environment specific to your project before installing packages or running scripts, and deactivate it when you’re finished. This keeps your project’s dependencies isolated and ensures a consistent development environment.