Where to install Anaconda?

Question

I'm using SSD for / and HDD for /home and /var.

I want to use Anaconda on SSD because I think it's faster.

I'm installing Anaconda and asked where to install.

Where do I install it?

Solution

In that case, you should install it somewhere beneath /, excluding the mountpoints /home and /var.

A good candidate would be /opt/anaconda/<version>, which opens the opportunity to install different versions of anaconda.

Assuming you are talking about Python Anaconda, you then have to call python with the full path

/opt/anaconda/<version>/bin/python

or extend your PATH variable. E.g. add the line as follows in your ~/.bashrc.

export PATH=$PATH:/opt/anaconda/<version>/bin

Please not that <version> has to be replace with an actual number like `2.7' or whatever makes sense to you.

Comments

[markling]

You can't install anaconda to /opt/ because the installer doesn't have permissions. You can run the installer with 'sudo bash ...anaconda...sh'. But that opens up a whole other can of worms.

[Thomas]

@markling: I was assuming that basic knowledge about write permissions on paths like /opt is a well known thing and that users can either add sudo to the installer or just install it as user root. What other can of worms would that open installing Python Anaconda into a subpath of /opt?

[markling]

Oh a lot of water has passed under the bridge yesterday. I opened the can, it was seething with worms. I stuck my hand in and felt around blindly for a bit, but found only puzzle pieces and lots and lots of slime. In the end - and I did give it a fair shot - I just let the installer put Anaconda where it really wanted to, which was /home. I must admit, I much prefer your suggestion.