extension misidentifies Pixi environment as Conda

[ssslakter]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

The VS Code Python extension detects my Pixi environment as a Conda environment.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Create and activate a Pixi environment:

   pixi init --format pyproject
   pixi shell

2. Open the project in VS Code.

3. Run “Python: Select Interpreter” in the Command Palette.

4. Observe that python from pixi is not there (have to manually specify the path)

5. Additionally, as a result, language server doesn't work correctly, e.g. there is infinite Loading... on hover

Diagnostic data

Output for Python Environments in the Output panel

Some("/home/user/.pixi/envs/python/bin/python"), version: Some("3.13.5"), conda_dir: None, arch: None }
2025-07-27 19:32:17.517 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/.pixi/envs/python/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.518 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.518 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.531 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.532 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.537 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.537 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.538 [info] Discovered env: /bin/python3
2025-07-27 19:32:17.539 [info] Discovered env: /usr/bin/python3
2025-07-27 19:32:17.553 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.554 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.555 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.558 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.591 [info] Locator Conda took 58.488053ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.593 [info] Locator Homebrew took 1.518968ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.594 [info] Locator LinuxGlobal took 52.911333ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.594 [info] Locator PipEnv took 80.387µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.595 [info] Locator Pixi took 112.653µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.595 [info] Locator Poetry took 5.946806ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.595 [info] Locator PyEnv took 250.45µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.595 [info] Locator Venv took 99.383µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.595 [info] Locator VirtualEnv took 359.401µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.596 [info] Locator VirtualEnvWrapper took 314.842µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.596 [info] Locator GlobalVirtualEnvs took 117.681µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.596 [info] Locator Locators took 59.022196ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.596 [info] Locator Path took 69.733193ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.596 [info] Locator Workspaces took 13.781409ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.601 [info] Conda not found, turning off conda features. Error: Conda not found
    at A (/home/user/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.vscode-python-envs-1.1.12072328-linux-x64/dist/extension.js:2:504122)
    at D (/home/user/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.vscode-python-envs-1.1.12072328-linux-x64/dist/extension.js:2:504247)
    at t.registerCondaFeatures (/home/user/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.vscode-python-envs-1.1.12072328-linux-x64/dist/extension.js:2:520870)
    at async Promise.all (index 1)
    at Immediate.<anonymous> (/home/user/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.vscode-python-envs-1.1.12072328-linux-x64/dist/extension.js:2:629562)
2025-07-27 19:32:17.602 [info] Telemetry:  {"event":"RefreshPerformance","data":{"refreshPerformance":{"total":70,"breakdown":{"GlobalVirtualEnvs":0,"Locators":59,"Path":69,"Workspaces":13},"locators":{"Conda":58,"Homebrew":1,"LinuxGlobal":52,"PipEnv":0,"Pixi":0,"Poetry":5,"PyEnv":0,"Venv":0,"VirtualEnv":0,"VirtualEnvWrapper":0}}}}
2025-07-27 19:32:17.604 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.608 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.613 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.621 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.631 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.632 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.637 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/.pixi/envs/python", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.642 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.643 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.643 [error] Unable to find Conda Manager for env: CondaEnvironment { prefix: "/home/user/.pixi/envs/python", executable: Some("/home/user/.pixi/envs/python/bin/python"), version: Some("3.13.5"), conda_dir: None, arch: None }
2025-07-27 19:32:17.644 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/.pixi/envs/python/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.645 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.646 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.731 [info] Discovered env: /bin/python3
2025-07-27 19:32:17.731 [info] Discovered env: /usr/bin/python3
2025-07-27 19:32:17.732 [info] Locator Conda took 60.045154ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.732 [info] Locator Homebrew took 285.719µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator LinuxGlobal took 57.367387ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator PipEnv took 23.886µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator Pixi took 26.609µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator Poetry took 5.74783ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator PyEnv took 152.462µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator Venv took 36.806µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator VirtualEnv took 73.333µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator VirtualEnvWrapper took 469.33µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.733 [info] Locator GlobalVirtualEnvs took 54.755µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.734 [info] Locator Locators took 60.913415ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.734 [info] Locator Path took 79.800816ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.734 [info] Locator Workspaces took 19.909452ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.734 [info] Telemetry:  {"event":"RefreshPerformance","data":{"refreshPerformance":{"total":80,"breakdown":{"GlobalVirtualEnvs":0,"Locators":60,"Path":79,"Workspaces":19},"locators":{"Conda":60,"Homebrew":0,"LinuxGlobal":57,"PipEnv":0,"Pixi":0,"Poetry":5,"PyEnv":0,"Venv":0,"VirtualEnv":0,"VirtualEnvWrapper":0}}}}
2025-07-27 19:32:17.775 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/.pixi/envs/python/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.775 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.776 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/.pixi/envs/python", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.778 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.778 [error] Unable to find Conda Manager for env: CondaEnvironment { prefix: "/home/user/.pixi/envs/python", executable: Some("/home/user/.pixi/envs/python/bin/python"), version: Some("3.13.5"), conda_dir: None, arch: None }
2025-07-27 19:32:17.785 [info] Discovered env: /usr/bin/python3
2025-07-27 19:32:17.788 [info] Discovered env: /bin/python3
2025-07-27 19:32:17.808 [info] Locator Conda took 47.461515ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.808 [info] Locator Homebrew took 688.561µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.808 [info] Locator LinuxGlobal took 49.608911ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.808 [info] Locator PipEnv took 278.176µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.808 [info] Locator Pixi took 44.419µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator Poetry took 4.314067ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator PyEnv took 129.625µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator Venv took 64.323µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator VirtualEnv took 242.487µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator VirtualEnvWrapper took 37.644µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator GlobalVirtualEnvs took 117.332µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator Locators took 52.837442ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator Path took 72.293278ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.809 [info] Locator Workspaces took 10.194734ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.810 [info] Pyenv not found, turning off pyenv features.
2025-07-27 19:32:17.814 [info] Telemetry:  {"event":"RefreshPerformance","data":{"refreshPerformance":{"total":72,"breakdown":{"GlobalVirtualEnvs":0,"Locators":52,"Path":72,"Workspaces":10},"locators":{"Conda":47,"Homebrew":0,"LinuxGlobal":49,"PipEnv":0,"Pixi":0,"Poetry":4,"PyEnv":0,"Venv":0,"VirtualEnv":0,"VirtualEnvWrapper":0}}}}
2025-07-27 19:32:17.815 [warning] Unable to find conda package Python in "/home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default", trying slower approach
2025-07-27 19:32:17.817 [info] Discovered env: /home/user/project-folder/.pixi/envs/default/bin/python
2025-07-27 19:32:17.818 [info] Locator GlobalVirtualEnvs took 1.467µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.819 [info] Locator Locators took 2.864µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.819 [info] Locator Path took 1.955µs
2025-07-27 19:32:17.819 [info] Locator Workspaces took 3.424644ms
2025-07-27 19:32:17.828 [info] Python API: Changed environment from undefined to Python 3.13.5 for: /home/user/project-folder
2025-07-27 19:32:17.828 [info] Internal: Changed environment from undefined to Python 3.13.5 for: /home/user/project-folder
2025-07-27 19:32:17.829 [info] Telemetry:  {"event":"RefreshPerformance","data":{"refreshPerformance":{"total":3,"breakdown":{"GlobalVirtualEnvs":0,"Locators":0,"Path":0,"Workspaces":3},"locators":{}}}}

Terminal commands pasted automatically by VS Code for new terminal

~/project-folder ‹default*› 
╰─➤  source activate
source: no such file or directory: activate  
╭─~/project-folder ‹default*› 
╰─➤  conda activate python  
zsh: command not found: conda  

Extension version: 1.1.12072328
VS Code version: Code 1.102.2 (c306e94f98122556ca081f527b466015e1bc37b0, 2025-07-22T12:15:48.520Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.14.0-24-generic
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	AMD Ryzen 7 5700U with Radeon Graphics (16 x 1974)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: disabled_off webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	1, 2, 2
Memory (System)	13.51GB (7.50GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id d1462e6e-1aff-49e2-8a0d-f6f5c87de28d
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	plasmawayland
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	KDE
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	KDE
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	wayland

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[eleanorjboyd]

Hi! The extension does not yet support pixi but a community member is working on contributing! This means you will have to manually specify the path but once you do it should work as expected, let me know if you are seeing a problem after specifying the path. Thanks

[eleanorjboyd]

Great news! A community member @renan-r-santos has created a pixi extension and you can check it out here! #656