========
Concepts
========

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 1
   :hidden:

   conda-commands
   packages
   pkg-specs
   pkg-search
   channels
   environments
   installing-with-conda
   conda-performance
   data-science
   conda-plugins

In this section, we provide you with detailed information about the fundamental concepts
in conda, including information about packages, channels, environments, and plugins, among others.

.. glossary::

    :doc:`Commands <conda-commands>`
        Conda commands are your interface for interacting with everything

    :doc:`Packages <packages>`
        Learn about the different forms a package can take

    :doc:`Package specification <pkg-specs>`
        Learn about exactly what belongs in a package and what the different metadata files mean

    :doc:`Package search and install <pkg-search>`
        The search specifications for a package (for the ``conda install`` and ``conda search`` commands)

    :doc:`Channels <channels>`
        Learn about channels and how they host packages

    :doc:`Environments <environments>`
        Learn about how environments work and how they differ from Python's virtual environments

    :doc:`Installing with conda <installing-with-conda>`
        Take a deep dive into exactly what happens during an installation with conda

    :doc:`Performance <conda-performance>`
        Understand what impacts the performance and speed of conda and how to improve it

    :doc:`Conda for data scientists <data-science>`
        See why conda is a such a valuable tool for data scientists

    :doc:`Plugins <conda-plugins>`
        The behavior of conda can be extended via plugins; learn more here