What is the difference between conda install and conda update?

What is the difference between conda install and conda update? I've skimmed through the documentation and I don't see any obvious difference.

conda install

conda update

Before everyone downvotes this question into oblivion, look at the documentation:

From conda install:

conda install

Conda attempts to install the newest versions of the requested
packages. To accomplish this, it may update some packages that
are already installed, or install additional packages. To prevent existing packages from updating, use the --no-update-deps
option. This may force conda to install older versions of the
requested packages, and it does not prevent additional dependency packages from being installed.

From conda update:

conda update

install installs a new package, update updates a previously installed package to the newest version, no?

– DYZ
Sep 7 '18 at 17:11

install

update

Both mention they will update to the latest version.

– Jason S
Sep 7 '18 at 17:28

But the precondition is different. update expects that the package is already installed. If it is not, update fails. Your first execute install (once) and then update (as many times as needed).

– DYZ
Sep 7 '18 at 17:30

update

install

update

Ah..... ok, that's the difference.

– Jason S
Sep 7 '18 at 17:32

Funny, the documentation for update doesn't say anything about that. (I tried it and you're right, I get a PackageNotInstalledError if I try to update a package that isn't installed.) I guess they depend on the dictionary-meaning implications of install and update without explicitly stating the behavior.

– Jason S
Sep 7 '18 at 17:36

update

PackageNotInstalledError

install

update

1 Answer
1

It's exactly what the documentation you provided says. For conda install:

Installs a list of packages into a specified conda environment.

and for conda update:

Updates conda packages to the latest compatible version.

That doesn't get at the nuances of the difference. (see DYZ's comment)

– Jason S
Sep 7 '18 at 17:33

I beg to differ. Both words update and install are general terminology and I consider common sense knowing the difference between them.

– Bogdan Condurache
Sep 7 '18 at 17:37

update

install

You can't depend on software to follow common-sense meanings.

– Jason S
Sep 7 '18 at 17:40

Agree, but you can related to documentation.

– Bogdan Condurache
Sep 7 '18 at 17:41

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