creating python virtual env on Linux

Question

I'm new to Linux environment where i need to create a virtual environment for my project. As this is a development machine i will not have access like i used to have in my own machine. I tried running the below commands :

    python3 -m venv env

But got permission denied:

I tried using sudo su command upon which it asked to enter my password. Later it said "Sorry, user xxxx is not allowed to execute 'usr/bin/su' as root on

Is this meant i do not have access to run sudo command?

"*Is this meant i do not have access to run sudo command?*" I mean, that's almost exactly what it says. You need to include *all* pertinent information here, including the full stack trace of the error you get when attempting to run the command you provided. — esqew, Jan 11 '21 at 14:53
if I'm not totally mistaken venv shouldn't require sudo. Did you check that you have rights for creating a "env" folder? Missing write permissions seem the most likely case too me — Raphael, Jan 11 '21 at 14:54
As a user on a Linux machine, you should have access to your own home directory (try `cd ~` to go there). Within this directory you should have adequate permissions to create files and sub-directories, including a python virtual environment. If you do not, then contact your system administrator. — h0r53, Jan 11 '21 at 14:56

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 11 '21 at 15:05

The "permission denied" error is probably due to the fact that you are in a directory where you have no write rights

Solution:

either change directory (for instance with cd, this will take you to your $HOME where you certainly have write rights)

or

give a full path for directory where you want to save the virtual environment (for instance to save in ~/my_env use python3 -m venv ~/my_env)

By issuing the command

python -m venv -h

you can see all the options of venv.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 11 '21 at 14:58

if you run python3 -m venv env a virtual environment will be created in your current directory. As venv does not require admin privileges it seems more likely that you are trying to run the command in a directory where you don't have sufficient write permissions.

creating python virtual env on Linux

2 Answers2