Python Environment Installation

This section presents the following contents:

Install Isaac Sim using PIP in a (virtual) Python environment
Using the Isaac Sim Default Python Environment

Install Isaac Sim using PIP

Warning

The feature described in this section is in an experimental stage and errors or unexpected results may occur!

Note

Isaac Sim requires Python 3.10. Visit the Python download page to get a suitable version.
On Linux, GLIBC 2.34+ (manylinux_2_34_x86_64) version compatibility is required for pip to discover and install the Python packages. Check the GLIBC version using the command ldd --version.

Isaac Sim provides several Python namespace packages that allow to compose an Isaac Sim app by parts using a Python package manager (e.g.: pip). The following tables list the available Isaac Sim - Python packages.

Main Python packages
Python package name	Description
`isaacsim`	A metapackage that installs the complete version (all the other main Python packages) of Isaac Sim

`isaacsim-kernel`	Isaac Sim kernel
`isaacsim-app`	Isaac Sim components for application setup
`isaacsim-asset`	Isaac Sim components for asset import, creation and management
`isaacsim-benchmark`	Isaac Sim components for benchmarking
`isaacsim-code-editor`	Isaac Sim components for scripting and code edition
`isaacsim-core`	Isaac Sim core extensions and APIs
`isaacsim-cortex`	Isaac Sim components to enable the Cortex decision framework for intelligent robot behavior
`isaacsim-example`	Isaac Sim examples
`isaacsim-gui`	Isaac Sim components for the graphical user interface (GUI)
`isaacsim-replicator`	Isaac Sim components to enable the Replicator framework for synthetic data generation pipelines and services
`isaacsim-rl`	Isaac Sim components for reinforcement learning
`isaacsim-robot`	Isaac Sim’s robot models and APIs
`isaacsim-robot-motion`	Isaac Sim components for motion generation pipelines and algorithms
`isaacsim-robot-setup`	Isaac Sim components for robot setup
`isaacsim-ros1`	Isaac Sim components for ROS 1 system integration
`isaacsim-ros2`	Isaac Sim components for ROS 2 system integration
`isaacsim-sensor`	Isaac Sim components to simulate sensors
`isaacsim-storage`	Isaac Sim components for storage system
`isaacsim-template`	Isaac Sim templates
`isaacsim-test`	Isaac Sim components for testings
`isaacsim-utils`	Isaac Sim utilities

Python packages that cache all the Omniverse extension dependencies for Isaac Sim
Python package name	Description
`isaacsim-extscache-kit`	Kit extensions cache for Isaac Sim
`isaacsim-extscache-kit-sdk`	Kit-SDK extensions cache for Isaac Sim
`isaacsim-extscache-physics`	Physics extensions cache for Isaac Sim

Running Isaac Sim

Note

It is necessary to agree and accept the Omniverse License Agreement (EULA) in order to use Isaac Sim. The EULA can be accepted in two ways, through system environment variables or by responding to a prompt:

Prompting at runtime

The first time isaacsim is imported, a prompt will ask about accepting the EULA at runtime. Once the EULA is accepted, it should not appear on subsequent Isaac Sim calls. If the EULA is not accepted, the execution will be terminated.

By installing or using Omniverse Kit, I agree to the terms of NVIDIA OMNIVERSE LICENSE AGREEMENT (EULA)
in https://docs.omniverse.nvidia.com/platform/latest/common/NVIDIA_Omniverse_License_Agreement.html

Do you accept the EULA? (Yes/No):

Environment variable

By setting the OMNI_KIT_ACCEPT_EULA environment variable to YES, Y or 1 (case insensitive), the interpreter will not prompt for EULA acceptance at runtime.

Command line interface

Ubuntu

export OMNI_KIT_ACCEPT_EULA=YES

Windows

set OMNI_KIT_ACCEPT_EULA=YES

Python script

Add the following statements at the beginning of the script or notebook cell before importing isaacsim:

import os
os.environ["OMNI_KIT_ACCEPT_EULA"] = "YES"

Note

First time running Isaac Sim may take several minutes due to the download of dependency extensions from the Omniverse registry. To avoid this, it is possible to install the packages with the cached extensions (isaacsim-extscache-physics, isaacsim-extscache-kit and isaacsim-extscache-kit-sdk) as described in the installation section (step number 3).

Warning

Some Python packages required by some Isaac Sim extensions or examples may not be included as dependencies of Isaac Sim - Python packages. However, it is possible to install them using the command pip install DEPENDENCY_NAME.

Running Python Scripts

Run the following command to execute a Python script in the (virtual) environment:

python path/to/script.py

Running in Interactive Interpreter / Notebooks

When running in interactive interpreter or notebooks (e.g.: Jupyter, Colab, etc.), it is necessary to first import the isaacsim package in order to access the SimulationApp class. For convenience, the isaacsim package exposes that class (implemented in the omni.isaac.kit extension).

Using isaacsim

from isaacsim import SimulationApp

simulation_app = SimulationApp({"headless": True})
## perform any Isaac Sim / Omniverse imports after instantiating the class

Using omni.isaac.kit

import isaacsim
from omni.isaac.kit import SimulationApp

simulation_app = SimulationApp({"headless": True})
## perform any Isaac Sim / Omniverse imports after instantiating the class

Warning

Calling the SimulationApp.close method on notebooks causes a kernel interruption and termination.

Launching Isaac Sim Experiences

The installation registers a Python entry point (isaacsim) that allow to launch experience (.kit) files.

isaacsim path/to/experience_file.kit [arguments]
Hint

The experience can be defined by its:

absolute or relative file path.

file name, with or without the .kit file extension. Search path are isaacsim/apps and omni/apps

The following table lists the most common Isaac Sim - Python packages commands to launch experiences:

Command	Description
`isaacsim omni.isaac.sim`	Standard Isaac Sim app, as it is executed from the Launcher.
`isaacsim omni.isaac.sim.headless.native --no-window`	Headless livestreaming Isaac Sim natively. See Omniverse Streaming Client for more details.
`isaacsim omni.isaac.sim.headless.webrtc --no-window`	Headless livestreaming Isaac Sim using the WebRTC protocol. See WebRTC Browser Client for more details.

Default Python Environment

It is possible to run Isaac Sim natively from Python rather than as a standalone executable. This provides more low-level control over how to initialize, setup, and manage an Omniverse application. Isaac Sim provides a built-in Python 3.10 environment that packages can use, similar to a system-level Python install. We recommend using this Python environment when running the Python scripts.

Run the following from the Isaac Sim root folder to start a Python script in this environment:

./python.sh path/to/script.py

Note

You can open a terminal directly at the Isaac Sim root folder from the Isaac Sim App Selector.
If you need to install additional packages via pip, run the following:
./python.sh -m pip install name_of_package_here

Note

On Windows use python.bat instead of python.sh.

Jupyter Notebook Setup

Jupyter Notebooks that use Isaac Sim can be executed as follows:

./jupyter_notebook.sh path/to/notebook.ipynb

Note

The first time you run jupyter_notebook.sh, it installs the Jupyter Notebook package into the Isaac Sim Python environment, this may take several minutes.

Note

Jupyter Notebook is supported on Linux only.

Visual Studio Code Support

The Isaac Sim package provides a .vscode workspace with a pre-configured environment that provides the following:

Launch configurations for running in standalone Python mode, or the interactive GUI
An environment for Python auto-complete

You can open this workspace by opening the main Isaac Sim package folder in Visual Studio Code (VSCode).

Note

Using Visual Studio Code when going through tutorials and examples is recommended.

Advanced: Running in Docker

Start the Docker container following the instructions in Container Deployment up to step 7.

After the Isaac Sim container is running, you can run a Python script or Jupiter Notebook from the sections above.

Note

You can install additional packages via pip:

./python.sh -m pip install name_of_package_here

See Save Docker Image for committing the image and making the Python setup installation persistent.

Advanced: Running with Anaconda

Create a new environment with the following command:

conda env create -f environment.yml
conda activate isaac-sim

If you have an existing conda environment, ensure that the packages in environment.yml are installed. Alternatively, you can delete and re-create your conda environment as follows:

conda remove --name isaac-sim --all
conda env create -f environment.yml
conda activate isaac-sim

Finally, you must set up environment variables so that Isaac Sim Python packages are located correctly. On Linux, you can do this as follows:

source setup_conda_env.sh

You can then run samples as follows in the isaac-sim conda env:

python path/to/script.py

Note

If you are using the isaac-sim Anaconda environment, use python instead of python.sh to run the samples.

Python Environment Installation

Install Isaac Sim using PIP

Installation using PIP

Running Isaac Sim

Running Python Scripts

Running in Interactive Interpreter / Notebooks

Launching Isaac Sim Experiences

Default Python Environment

Jupyter Notebook Setup

Visual Studio Code Support

Advanced: Running in Docker

Advanced: Running with Anaconda