This is Part 2 of our series "Conda Is Not PyPI: Understanding Conda as a User-Space Distribution".
In Part 1, we explained why conda is not just another Python package manager. Conda packages are distribution units, not libraries. Environments are essentially mini distributions in user-space.
Part 1 of our series "Conda Is Not PyPI: Understanding Conda as a User-Space Distribution".
This is the first article in a three-part series exploring the fundamental differences between conda and PyPI, and why understanding these differences matters for your development workflow. Conda is not just another Python package manager—it's a multi-language, user-space distribution system. In this series, we'll unpack what that means, explore where conda fits in the broader packaging landscape (alongside pip, Docker, and Nix), and show you how to think about conda's role in your toolchain.
Part 1 (this article) clarifies why conda is a distribution, not a package registry, and what that distinction means in practice.