> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.switchport.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install the Switchport Python SDK

## Requirements

* Python 3.8 or higher
* pip (Python package installer)

## Install from PyPI

The easiest way to install the Switchport SDK is using pip:

```bash theme={null}
pip install switchport
```

## Verify Installation

Verify that the SDK is installed correctly:

```python theme={null}
import switchport
print(switchport.__version__)
```

## Dependencies

The Switchport SDK has minimal dependencies:

* `requests` - For HTTP requests to the Switchport API

All dependencies are automatically installed when you install the SDK.

## Upgrading

To upgrade to the latest version:

```bash theme={null}
pip install --upgrade switchport
```

## Virtual Environments

We recommend using a virtual environment to avoid dependency conflicts:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash venv theme={null}
  # Create virtual environment
  python -m venv venv

  # Activate (Linux/Mac)
  source venv/bin/activate

  # Activate (Windows)
  venv\Scripts\activate

  # Install switchport
  pip install switchport
  ```

  ```bash conda theme={null}
  # Create conda environment
  conda create -n switchport python=3.11

  # Activate
  conda activate switchport

  # Install switchport
  pip install switchport
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Troubleshooting

### Permission Errors

If you get permission errors on Linux/Mac, try:

```bash theme={null}
pip install --user switchport
```

Or use a virtual environment (recommended).

### Python Version Issues

Make sure you're using Python 3.8 or higher:

```bash theme={null}
python --version
```

If you have multiple Python versions, you may need to use `pip3` instead of `pip`.

## Next Steps

<Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/sdk/python/authentication">
  Set up your API key and authenticate
</Card>