In case you need a refresher, a package manager is a tool which automates the process of installing, updating, and removing packages. While Conda is a package and environment manager, let’s first review the package manager functionality of conda and then focus on the environment manager functionality. @fredrik conda update python bricked my conda installation. Photo by Mathias Nevière on UnsplashAs some of you might face an issue cannot updating Sypder and other python modules to the latest. Sometimes, your anaconda navigator shows the outdated environment. In this article, I will show you an easy way to update your Spyder to the latest version. If you use the --from-history option, only packages that you explicitly request will be specified in the file, letting Conda choose newer dependencies for future environments. If you do not specify that option, all packages including dependencies will be documented explicitly in the YAML file. In general, any Conda command can be executed with Mamba instead. In practice, it is only beneficial to use Mamba when creating environments and installing packages. The Mamba developers currently advise against using it to activate environments. Once the environment is activated, the python command in your shell will use the version provided by the NPL. Currently, it is version Python 3.8, which is supported by the majority of relevant packages. Once package compatibility improves in newer versions, the NPL will be updated. Once you have the Conda module loaded, you can start using Python a number of ways. It is easy and often convenient to activate one of the environments CISL provides, such as the NCAR Python Library . However, you may wish to craft an environment that contains only the packages you care about, or use specific versions of different packages.