Using the main-x channel

main-x is an Anaconda-hosted authenticated channel that provides thousands of additional conda packages built by Anaconda for users with an Anaconda account. It is designed to be used alongside Anaconda’s main channel, not replace it. In other words, main-x “extends” main.

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Setting up main-x

If you are using Package Security Manager (On-prem), follow the separate access instructions below.

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Before you begin

You need conda and an Anaconda account.

If you have the Anaconda CLI installed, use the instructions under Set up using Anaconda CLI for a faster setup.

Set up using Anaconda CLI

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Enable the main-x channel

1. Log in to your Anaconda account:

   ana login
   

   This opens a verification page in your browser and displays the URL in your terminal. The URL contains a user code (for example, user_code=ABCD-12E3).

2. Sign in to your Anaconda account. Confirm that the code shown on the page matches the code in the URL in your terminal, then click Activate.

   If you are on a remote server or headless system where a browser cannot open, copy the URL or scan the QR code on any device with a browser, sign in, and then activate. The login completes on the remote system. For more options, see Non-interactive login for CI/CD.

3. Enable the main-x channel:

   ana feature enable main-x
   

   This adds main and main-x to the channels conda uses by default, with the correct URLs for your subscription.

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Verify the channel is working

1. Confirm that your default channels are configured:

   conda config --show default_channels
   

   Your output should include both main and main-x. The URLs vary based on your subscription:

   Free account

   default_channels:
     - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
     - https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main-x
     - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2
     - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r
   

   Paid subscription

   default_channels:
     - https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main
     - https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main-x
     - https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/msys2
     - https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/r
   
   The msys2 and r channels are End of Support and are no longer receiving updates. You do not need to remove them.

2. Install a package from main-x to confirm everything is working:

   Browse packages on main-x at https://anaconda.org/channels/main-x.

   conda install <PACKAGE_NAME>
   

For more information, see Anaconda CLI features.

Set up using conda

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Configuration

1. Log in to your Anaconda account:

   anaconda login
   

2. Follow the verification URL displayed in your terminal. Sign in to your Anaconda account, confirm the code on the page matches the code in your terminal, and then click Activate.

   If you are on a remote server or headless system where a browser cannot open, copy the URL on any device with a browser, sign in, and then activate. If you need other authentication options, see Non-interactive usage.

3. Add main and main-x to your default_channels. The main channel URL depends on your subscription:

   Free account

   conda config --add default_channels https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main-x
   conda config --add default_channels https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
   

   Paid subscription

   conda config --add default_channels https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main-x
   conda config --add default_channels https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main
   

   These commands add main and main-x to the front of your default_channels list in your .condarc file. If that file does not have a default_channels section yet, conda creates one.

   All main-x packages depend on packages from main (either directly or indirectly), so you should always list main first, followed by main-x. If default_channels lists only main-x, conda cannot resolve those dependencies, and many installs will fail.

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Verify the channel is working

1. Check your channel settings:

   conda config --show default_channels
   

   Your output should include both main and main-x, and main should appear before main-x. For example:

   default_channels:
     - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
     - https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main-x
   

2. Install a package from main-x to confirm everything is working:

   Browse packages on main-x at https://anaconda.org/channels/main-x.

   conda install <PACKAGE_NAME>
   

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Accessing main-x for Package Security Manager (On-prem)

Ask your administrator to mirror https://repo.anaconda.cloud/repo/main-x into your Package Security Manager instance to provide access to main-x for your organization.

Add the mirrored channel to the default_channels: section of your .condarc file, alongside your organization’s other channels. Don’t remove existing entries, such as your organization’s mirror of main, as main-x packages often need packages from main. Use only channels from your Package Security Manager instance, not the public channel addresses shown elsewhere on this page. If your file has no default_channels: section, ask your administrator which channels to list.

The mirrored channel’s address looks like this:

https://<FQDN>/api/repo/<CHANNEL_NAME>

If you have a channel alias set for your Package Security Manager instance, you can use just the channel name instead of the full URL in your default_channels list. For more information, see Using conda with Package Security Manager.

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Known limitations

• main-x includes thousands of packages (pure Python only) that extend what’s available in the main channel. main-x does not include every package in the PyPI or conda-forge catalog.
• Service accounts for accessing the main-x channel are not available. For non-interactive authentication in pipelines, see the API keys and tokens documentation for guidance on using those options with main-x.
• Some packages exist in both the main-x and main channels. Users with channel_priority: strict might encounter a problem where conda will not install a preferred package from main-x if the same package exists in a higher-priority channel. Users with channel_priority: flexible (the default) might also be affected if the order of their channels doesn’t reflect their preferred priority. See Troubleshooting if you experience this.

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Support

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Package requests

If you need a package that is not in main-x, create a post on Anaconda’s Feedback page on the Packages board. Include the following:

• The package name and version you need
• Your operating system and platform (for example, Windows 11, macOS Sonoma on Apple Silicon, Ubuntu 22.04)
• (Optional) A description of your use case

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Technical support

For issues, bugs, or questions about main-x, submit a support request. Include the following:

• A description of the issue or question
• The command(s) you ran and the full error message (if applicable)
• Your operating system and platform
• Your conda version

How do I find my conda version?

Open Anaconda Prompt (Terminal on macOS/Linux) and run the following:

conda --version

Our support team will triage your request and send it to the appropriate team.

If the problem is with the Anaconda CLI itself, you can also report it by running:

ana self feedback

This opens a page in your browser where you can report a bug or request a feature for the Anaconda CLI.

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Troubleshooting