How To Install Miniconda on Fedora 43

Python package management can be complicated. Miniconda solves this problem by providing a lightweight, minimal installer for conda—a powerful package and environment manager. If you’re running Fedora 43 and need a clean way to manage Python packages and create isolated development environments, Miniconda is your solution.

This comprehensive guide walks you through every step of installing Miniconda on Fedora 43, from downloading the installer to creating your first environment. You’ll learn the recommended installation method, how to verify everything works correctly, and troubleshooting techniques for common issues. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional Miniconda setup ready for data science projects, web development, or any Python-based work.

What is Miniconda?

Miniconda is a free, minimal installer for conda that includes only conda, Python, and a small number of essential packages. Unlike its larger cousin Anaconda—which comes bundled with over 250 pre-installed packages—Miniconda gives you just the essentials. This lean approach means faster downloads, less disk space usage, and the freedom to install only what you need.

The conda package manager handles dependencies automatically, ensuring that all required libraries install correctly without version conflicts. It creates isolated environments where you can install different Python versions and package sets for separate projects. Data scientists, developers, and system administrators rely on conda to manage complex software stacks without affecting system Python installations.

Prerequisites

System Requirements

Before installing Miniconda on your Fedora 43 system, verify you meet these requirements:

• Fedora 43 operating system (64-bit architecture)
• Minimum 400 MB free disk space for Miniconda itself
• At least 1-2 GB recommended for comfortable usage with multiple environments
• Active internet connection for downloading the installer
• Terminal access with standard user privileges

The good news? You don’t need administrator or root permissions for installation. Miniconda installs completely within your home directory, making it perfect for users without sudo access.

Pre-installation Checklist

Open your terminal and verify your system status with these commands:

Check your Fedora version:

cat /etc/fedora-release

Confirm available disk space:

df -h

Update your system packages:

sudo dnf update

These preparation steps ensure a smooth installation process without unexpected errors.

Step 1: Download the Miniconda Installer

Locating the Official Installer

Navigate to the official Anaconda repository to download the latest Miniconda installer. The file you need is named Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh—a shell script specifically designed for 64-bit Linux systems like Fedora 43.

Download Methods

Using wget (Recommended)

The wget command provides the most reliable download method for Linux systems:

wget https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

This command downloads the installer directly to your current directory. The download typically takes 1-3 minutes depending on your internet speed, as the file is approximately 80-100 MB.

Using curl

If wget isn’t available on your system, curl offers an alternative:

curl -O https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

The -O flag saves the file with its original filename.

Browser Download

You can also download through your web browser by visiting the Anaconda Miniconda downloads page. After downloading, navigate to your Downloads folder using the terminal:

cd ~/Downloads

Verifying the Download

Security matters. Verify the integrity of your downloaded file using SHA256 checksums:

sha256sum Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

Compare the output hash with the official checksum published on the Anaconda website. Matching checksums confirm your download is authentic and uncorrupted.

Step 2: Prepare the Installer

Navigate to the directory containing your downloaded installer if you haven’t already:

cd ~/Downloads

Make the installer executable by changing its permissions:

chmod +x Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

This command grants execution rights to the shell script. Without executable permissions, Linux won’t allow you to run the installer.

Verify the permissions changed correctly:

ls -l Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

Look for -rwxr-xr-x in the output—the x characters indicate execution permission.

Step 3: Run the Miniconda Installer

Starting the Installation

Execute the installer with this command:

bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

The interactive installation wizard launches immediately.

Interactive Installation Steps

License Agreement

The installer first displays the Miniconda license agreement. Press ENTER repeatedly to scroll through the terms, or hold SPACE to page down faster. When you reach the end, type yes to accept the license terms and continue.

Installation Location

Next, the installer prompts for an installation location. The default path is ~/miniconda3 in your home directory—this is the recommended choice for most users. Installing in your home directory ensures you maintain full control without needing root privileges.

Press ENTER to accept the default location. Advanced users can specify a custom path by typing an alternative directory, though this rarely provides benefits.

Initialization Prompt

The most critical question appears: “Do you wish the installer to initialize Miniconda3 by running conda init?”

Type yes and press ENTER.

This initialization step modifies your ~/.bashrc file, adding necessary PATH variables so your shell recognizes conda commands. Skipping initialization means you’ll need to configure PATH manually—an unnecessary complication for most users.

The installation process now completes, typically taking 2-5 minutes. The installer extracts packages and configures your environment automatically.

Step 4: Silent Installation (Optional for Automation)

System administrators and users creating automated setup scripts can perform a non-interactive installation. This method bypasses all prompts:

bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -b -p $HOME/miniconda3

The -b flag enables batch mode (silent installation), while -p specifies the installation path.

After silent installation, manually initialize conda:

~/miniconda3/bin/conda init bash

For zsh users:

~/miniconda3/bin/conda init zsh

Reload your shell configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

This completes the silent installation process.

Step 5: Activate Miniconda

Close your current terminal window and open a new one. Alternatively, reload your shell configuration without closing the terminal:

source ~/.bashrc

Notice the (base) prefix now appears at the beginning of your command prompt. This indicates that conda initialized successfully and activated the base environment—your default conda environment containing essential packages.

The base environment provides a working conda installation but should remain minimal. Install project-specific packages in separate environments rather than cluttering your base installation.

Step 6: Verify Successful Installation

Check Conda Version

Confirm conda installed correctly by checking its version:

conda --version

The output displays something like conda 24.1.2. The exact version number varies depending on when you download the installer, but any recent version number confirms successful installation.

Check Conda Information

View detailed information about your conda installation:

conda info

This command displays comprehensive system information including installation paths, environment locations, active environment, Python version, and configured channels. Review this output to ensure everything points to your expected installation directory.

List Pre-installed Packages

Examine packages included in your base environment:

conda list

Miniconda’s base environment contains only essential packages—typically just conda itself, Python, and critical dependencies. This minimal approach keeps your installation lean and efficient.

Test Conda Command Availability

Verify conda appears in your system PATH:

which conda

The output should show the path to your conda executable, confirming your shell can locate and execute conda commands.

Post-Installation Configuration

Configure Conda Channels

Conda channels are repositories containing packages. The conda-forge channel provides a community-maintained collection with broader package availability than the default channels.

Add conda-forge to your configuration:

conda config --add channels conda-forge

This expands your available package selection significantly.

Update Conda to Latest Version

Keep your package manager current by updating conda immediately after installation:

conda update conda

Conda checks for newer versions and displays a package plan. Type y to proceed with the update. Regular updates ensure you benefit from bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features.

Disable Auto-activation (Optional)

By default, conda automatically activates the base environment when you open a terminal. Some users prefer starting with a clean shell:

conda config --set auto_activate_base false

This setting prevents automatic base environment activation. Re-enable it anytime with:

conda config --set auto_activate_base true

Set Channel Strict Priority

Configure strict channel priority to improve package compatibility and resolve dependencies consistently:

conda config --set channel_priority strict

This setting prevents mixing packages from different channels in ways that could create conflicts.

Basic Conda Usage on Fedora 43

Creating Your First Environment

Environments isolate project dependencies, preventing conflicts between different projects. Create a new environment:

conda create -n myproject python=3.11

This command creates an environment named “myproject” with Python 3.11. Replace “myproject” with a meaningful name for your use case. Use descriptive names like “django-webapp” or “data-analysis-2026” to track multiple projects easily.

Conda displays a package plan showing everything it will install. Type y to proceed.

Activating Environments

Switch to your new environment:

conda activate myproject

Your prompt changes from (base) to (myproject), indicating the active environment. All subsequent package installations and Python commands now affect only this isolated environment.

Installing Packages

Install packages into your active environment:

conda install numpy pandas matplotlib

Conda automatically resolves dependencies, installing all required libraries. This dependency management prevents the “dependency hell” common with pip installations.

Multiple packages can be installed simultaneously by listing them separated by spaces.

Listing Environments

View all conda environments on your system:

conda env list

The output shows each environment name and its filesystem path. An asterisk marks your currently active environment.

Deactivating Environments

Return to the base environment:

conda deactivate

Your prompt returns to (base). Deactivation doesn’t delete the environment—it simply switches contexts.

Removing Environments

Delete environments you no longer need:

conda env remove --name myproject

This frees disk space by completely removing the environment and all its packages.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: “conda: command not found”

This error indicates your shell can’t locate conda, typically because initialization failed or your PATH variable wasn’t updated correctly.

Solution:

Run conda initialization manually:

~/miniconda3/bin/conda init bash

Close and reopen your terminal, or reload your configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

Verify your .bashrc file contains conda initialization code:

tail ~/.bashrc

Look for a block of code starting with # >>> conda initialize >>>.

Issue 2: Initialization Not Working

If conda init fails or doesn’t persist across terminal sessions, manually add conda to your PATH.

Solution:

Open your .bashrc file in a text editor:

nano ~/.bashrc

Add this line at the end:

export PATH="$HOME/miniconda3/bin:$PATH"

Save and reload:

source ~/.bashrc

For zsh users, edit ~/.zshrc instead of ~/.bashrc.

Issue 3: Permission Errors

Permission errors often occur when users attempt to install Miniconda with sudo or in system directories.

Solution:

Never use sudo with conda commands. Conda is designed for user-space installation. If you encounter permission errors, verify your installation is in your home directory and that you own all conda files:

ls -ld ~/miniconda3

If ownership is incorrect, fix it:

sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~/miniconda3

Issue 4: Disk Space Issues

Conda environments and package caches consume significant disk space over time.

Solution:

Check available space:

df -h

Clean conda’s package cache:

conda clean --all

This removes cached packages that are no longer needed. List your environments and remove unused ones with conda env remove.

Issue 5: Package Installation Failures

Packages sometimes fail to install due to channel configuration, network issues, or dependency conflicts.

Solution:

Verify the package exists:

conda search package-name

Try specifying the conda-forge channel explicitly:

conda install -c conda-forge package-name

For persistent issues, check your internet connection and try again later. Some packages may not be available for specific Python versions—consider creating an environment with a different Python version.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Miniconda. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing Miniconda on your Fedora 43 Linux system. For additional or useful information, we recommend you check the official Miniconda website.