Using default repositories#

When you use a conda command that involves looking for a package to install or upgrade, by default conda searches the default repository located at https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs.

Active default channels#

Main channel#

https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main

Added Sept 26, 2017 with the release of Anaconda 5.0 and conda 4.3.27, the main channel includes packages built by Anaconda, Inc. with the new compiler stack. The majority of all new Anaconda, Inc. package builds are hosted here. This is the top priority channel in conda’s default channel list.

R Language channel#

https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r

Mirror: https://anaconda.org/r

Anaconda, Inc.’s R conda packages and Microsoft R Open conda packages. This channel is included in conda’s “defaults” channel. When creating new environments, R is the default R implementation.

MSYS2 channel#

https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2

Mirror: https://anaconda.org/msys2

Windows only - included in conda’s default channels. Necessary for Anaconda, Inc.’s R conda packages and some others in /main and /free. It provides a bash shell, Autotools, revision control systems and the like for building native Windows applications using MinGW-w64 toolchains.

Archived channels#

A channel may be archived for a variety of reasons, most often because its packages caused problems (e.g. insecure compilers, incompatible with newer software) or we no longer upload new packages to them.

Nevertheless, you may wish to use archived channels for one of the following reasons:

  • You need packages from those channels for reproducibility

  • You are using an old course that requires specific older versions of packages

  • The package you need was never built and made available in the Main channel

Free channel#

https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/free

As of conda 4.7, the free channel was removed from conda’s default channels.

The free channel contains packages built without the new compiler stack. It includes packages built as far back as Fall 2012. The majority of these packages are compatible with the packages in main. Learn more about the free channel.

Archive channel#

https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/archive

Sometimes a package that is released onto one of the other channels has an issue that forces Anaconda, Inc. to remove it from the channel. In these cases, the package is archived to this channel for anyone who still needs it.

Pro channel#

https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/pro

Now deprecated, though still available in conda’s default channels. Packages in this channel were once sold commercially, but are now open source and available without charge. The last package was updated Feb. 2017. Includes MKL Optimizations, IOPro, and Accelerate.

Anaconda Extras channel#

https://anaconda.org/anaconda-extras

This channel contains packages custom built for customers by Anaconda, Inc.

Anaconda channel on anaconda.org#

https://anaconda.org/anaconda

The Anaconda channel on anaconda.org is a mirror of the packages available in https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main.