diff --git a/docs/user-guide/faq.md b/docs/user-guide/faq.md index 869fa53b..32aa90af 100644 --- a/docs/user-guide/faq.md +++ b/docs/user-guide/faq.md @@ -58,3 +58,28 @@ Before version 22.12, the CLI flag was `--experimental-solver`. We recommend you upgrade to `conda` 22.11 or above, and then `conda-libmamba-solver` 22.12 or above. See the [22.12.0 announcement post](https://github.com/conda/conda-libmamba-solver/releases/tag/22.12.0) for more details on how to upgrade. + +## I have an older `conda` and I can't install `conda-libmamba-solver` + +Since older `conda` versions only supported the `classic` solver, you might run into solver conflicts or too long installations if your `base` environment is too constrained. This becomes a "chicken-and-egg" problem where you'd need `conda-libmamba-solver` to update to a more recent `conda` with `conda-libmamba-solver`. + +Fortunately, there's a workaround thanks to the `conda-standalone` project. This is a single binary that bundles recent `conda` versions, with `conda-libmamba-solver` included. It's not a substitute for the full `conda` user experience but it can help bootstrap and rescue conda installations. + +1. Download the most recent `conda-standalone` from its [Github Releases page](https://github.com/conda/conda-standalone/releases/latest). Make sure to pick the one for your operating system and platform. Once downloaded, rename it as `conda.exe` on Windows and `conda` on Linux / macOS. +2. Write down the location of your `base` environment: `conda info --root`. +3. Write down the main preconfigured channel in your installation: `conda config --show channels`. This is usually `defaults` or `conda-forge`. +4. Go to the Downloads directory and run this command from your terminal: + +On Windows: + +```console +.\conda.exe install -p "[path given by step 2]" -c [channel from step 3] "conda>=23.10" conda-libmamba-solver +``` + +On Linux or macOS: + +```console +./conda install -p "[path given by step 2]" -c [channel from step 3] "conda>=23.10" conda-libmamba-solver +``` + +Once the command succeeds, you'll have `conda-libmamba-solver` installed in your base environment and will be ready to use it as normal. You can delete the conda-standalone binaries. diff --git a/news/511-conda-standalone-install b/news/511-conda-standalone-install new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c9f01a4e --- /dev/null +++ b/news/511-conda-standalone-install @@ -0,0 +1,19 @@ +### Enhancements + +* + +### Bug fixes + +* + +### Deprecations + +* + +### Docs + +* Add installation workarounds FAQ with conda-standalone. (#505 via #511) + +### Other + +*