Microsoft has released the Python Environments extension for VS Code into general availability after a year in preview. The extension unifies management of Python environments across all major tools—venv, conda, pyenv, poetry, and pipenv—through a single UI powered by PET, a Rust-based environment scanner. Key features include Quick Create and Custom Create workflows, Python Projects for mapping environments to specific folders (useful in monorepos), portable settings that store manager type rather than hardcoded paths, built-in package management, three terminal activation modes, and project scaffolding from templates. Integration with uv enables significantly faster environment creation and package installation. The extension also supports multi-project testing with isolated interpreters per project and exposes a public API for third-party environment managers to integrate into the VS Code sidebar.
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A Unified Environment Experience Copy linkFaster Environment Creation with uv Copy linkQuick Create and Custom Create Copy linkPython Projects: Environments That Match Your Code Structure Copy linkMulti-Project Testing Copy linkSmarter Terminal Activation Copy linkPredictable Interpreter Selection Copy linkBuilt-In Package Management Copy link.env File Support Copy linkExtensible by Design Copy linkKnown Limitations Copy linkWhat’s Next Copy linkSort: