Bash / zsh function to easily create, activate and deactivate virtual environments for Python 3

README.md

Run dotvenv in an empty folder to create a virtual env from scratch and activate it immediately:

$ dotvenv
Created virtual env
Activated virtual env
(.venv) $

Run again to deactivate the virtual env:

(.venv) $ dotvenv
Deactivated virtual env
$

Run for a third time to activate again the virtual env, and so on:

$ dotvenv
Activated virtual env
(.venv) $

Custom prompt

If you provide an argument, the virtual environment will be created with a custom prompt:

$ dotvenv my-project
Created virtual env with 'my-project' prompt
Activated virtual env
(my-project) $

Run again to deactivate the virtual env:

(my-project) $ dotvenv
Deactivated virtual env
$

Running another time will reactivate the virtual env, remembering the custom prompt:

$ dotvenv
Activated virtual env
(my-project) $

Error codes

The function will return the following status codes upon encountering an error:

• code 10 > there was a problem with the existing .venv folder
• code 20 > there was a problem creating the .venv folder
• code 30 > the created virtual env could not be activated

dotvenv.bash

## Run dotvenv to create & activate a Python virtual environment in
## the .venv folder. Optionally provide an argument to create a custom
## prompt for the virtual environment.
##
## If the .venv folder already exists, activate / deactivate the
## existing virtual environment.
##
## Updated and documented version on Github:
## https://gist.github.com/coccoinomane/1035e8d8b5f134930fbf9a5eac541d07
dotvenv() {
  # If the .venv folder already exists, just activate
  # or deactivate it
  if [[ -d ".venv" ]]; then
    if [[ -n $VIRTUAL_ENV ]]; then
      if deactivate; then
        echo "Deactivated virtual env"
        return 0
      else
        return 10
      fi
    else
      if source .venv/bin/activate; then
        echo "Activated virtual env"
        return 0
      else
        return 10
      fi
    fi
  fi
  ## Othewise, create a new virtual environment in .venv
  ## with the given prompt
  if [[ -z $1 ]]; then
    if python3 -m venv .venv; then
      echo "Created virtual env"
    else
      return 20
    fi
  else
    if python3 -m venv .venv --prompt "$1"; then
      echo "Created virtual env with '$1' prompt"
    else
      return 20
    fi
  fi
  ## Activate the virtual env after creating it
  if source .venv/bin/activate; then
    echo "Activated virtual env"
    return 0
  fi
  return 30
}