.. _anaconda_glossary:

Anaconda glossary
=================

.. glossary::

   Anaconda
      A downloadable free, open source, high performance, optimized Python and 
      R distribution with 100+ packages plus access to easily installing an 
      additional 620+ popular open source packages for data science including 
      advanced and scientific analytics. It also includes :term:`conda <Conda>`, an open source 
      package, dependency and environment manager. Thousands more open source 
      packages can be installed with the ``conda`` command. Available for Windows, 
      macOS and Linux, all versions are supported by the community. 

   Anaconda build
      A service on :term:`Anaconda Cloud` that allows you to build :term:`conda packages <Conda package>` that 
      can be managed with :term:`conda <Conda>`. Contrast to :term:`conda build <Conda build>`, which is done locally. 

   Anaconda Cloud
      A web-based repository hosting service in the cloud. Packages created 
      locally can be published to the cloud to be shared with others. Free 
      accounts on Anaconda Cloud can publish packages to be shared publicly. 
      Paid subscriptions to Anaconda Cloud can designate packages as private to 
      be shared with authorized users. Anaconda Cloud is Continuum Analytics' 
      Anaconda repository product made available to the public. Anaconda 
      repository is also available for purchase by companies that wish to 
      power their own on-premise version of Anaconda Cloud. See 
      `product comparison <https://www.continuum.io/anaconda-subscriptions>`_. 

   Anaconda Cluster Management
      The cluster manager which makes it easy to install packages, dependencies 
      and environments on a Hadoop or a HPC cluster. The cluster manager is  
      bundled with paid Anaconda subscriptions and integrates with the on-premises  
      :term:`Anaconda Repository` or the :term:`conda repository <Conda repository>`.
      The cluster manager is purchased for a specific set of nodes in the cluster.
      The cluster manager can be tried out by downloading the 4 node cluster manager 
      from :term:`Anaconda Cloud`. 

   Anaconda Navigator 
      A desktop graphical user interface (GUI) included in all versions of :term:`Anaconda`  
      that allows you to easily manage :term:`conda packages <Conda package>`,
      :term:`environments <Conda environment>`, :term:`channels <Channels>` and  
      notebooks without the need to use the :term:`command line interface or CLI <Command Line Interface (CLI)>`. 

   Anaconda Pro, Enterprise and Workgroup 
      Anaconda that includes enterprise technical support for a specific number  
      of users, and indemnification for a select number of open source packages.  
      Anaconda Enterprise and Workgroup include collaborative notebooks, high  
      performance scalability, Hadoop, interactive visualization, governance and  
      security.   
      See `product comparison <https://www.continuum.io/anaconda-subscriptions>`_.

   Anaconda Repository 
      An enterprise server on your network from which open source and proprietary  
      packages may be stored, retrieved and installed on a local computer.   
      Anaconda Repository is different from `Anaconda Cloud <https://anaconda.org/>`_  
      or the `default conda repository <https://repo.continuum.io/pkgs/>`_. The  
      Anaconda Repository is used to govern access to data science assets including  
      packages and notebooks. 

   Channels 
      The locations of the repositories where conda looks for packages. Channels  
      may point to an Anaconda Cloud repository or a private location on a remote  
      or local repository that you or your organization created. The conda channel  
      command has a default set of channels to search beginning with  
      https://repo.continuum.io/pkgs/  which users may override, for example, to  
      maintain a private or internal channel. These default channels are referred  
      to in conda commands and in the .condarc file by the channel name ‘defaults’.

   Command Line Interface (CLI) 
      A program in which commands are entered as text, one line at a time, for a  
      computer to execute. Sometimes referred to as a terminal.  Contrast with  
      :term:`Graphical User Interface (GUI)`.

   Conda 
      A package and environment manager program bundled with :term:`Anaconda` that installs  
      and updates :term:`conda packages <Conda package>` and their dependencies.  Also lets you easily  
      switch between :term:`conda environments <Conda environment>` on your local computer.

   Conda build
      A program that assembles the necessary components to create a :term:`conda package <Conda package>` 
      using :term:`conda <Conda>` commands. Conda build is done locally with your own (optional)  
      clusters, in contrast to :term:`Anaconda build` which is done on :term:`Anaconda Cloud`. 

   Conda environment 
      A folder or directory that contains a specific collection of :term:`conda packages <Conda package>` 
      and their dependencies, so they can be maintained and run separately without  
      interference from each other. For example, you may use one conda environment  
      for only Python 2 and Python 2 packages, and maintain another conda  
      environment with only Python 3 and Python 3 packages. 

   Conda package 
      A compressed file that contains everything that a software program needs in  
      order to be installed and run (system-level libraries, Python modules,  
      executable programs, and/or other components) so you do not have to  
      manually find and install each dependency separately.  Managed with :term:`conda <Conda>`.

   Conda repository 
      A cloud-based repository that contains 720+ open source certified packages  
      that are easily installed locally via the "conda install" command. Can be  
      accessed by anyone using :term:`conda <Conda>` commands, or viewed directly at  
      https://repo.continuum.io/pkgs/ 

   Graphical User Interface (GUI) 
      A program with graphic images, icons and menus in which commands are entered  
      by clicking with a mouse and/or entering text in form boxes.  It is a pretty  
      and easy to use overlay to the same program that is run using a command line  
      interface or CLI. Examples are :term:`Anaconda Navigator` and Anaconda Fusion.

   Miniconda 
      A minimal installer for conda. Like Anaconda, Miniconda is a free software  
      package that includes the Anaconda distribution and the conda package and  
      environment manager, but Miniconda does not include any packages other than  
      those dependencies needed to install it. After Miniconda is installed,  
      additional conda packages may be installed directly from the command line  
      with ‘conda install’. See also :term:`Anaconda` and :term:`conda <Conda>`.

   Package Manager
      A collection of software tools that automates the process of installing, 
      upgdating, configuring, and removing computer programs for a computer's 
      operating system. Also known as a package management system. Conda is an
      example of a package manager.

   Packages
      Software files and information about the software, such as its name, the 
      specific version and a description, bundled into a file that can be
      installed and managed by a package manager.

   R Packages 
      :term:`Conda packages <Conda package>` that install and run the R computer language. Examples include  
      R Essentials, a bundle of 80 popular open source software programs written in  
      the R computer language. SEE ALSO http://conda.pydata.org/docs/r-with-conda.html

   Repository 
      Any storage location from which software or software assets that may be retrieved  
      and installed on a local computer.  SEE ALSO :term:`Anaconda Repository` and :term:`conda  
      repository <Conda repository>`.
