How to Install OpenCV in Python

OpenCV (Open Source Computer Vision) is a free and open-source library of computer vision and machine learning algorithms that can be used to process and analyze images and video. It is widely used in a variety of applications, including object detection, image, and video processing, and augmented reality.

In this article, we will cover two different methods for installing OpenCV in Python: using “PIP” (the Python Package Manager) and using “Anaconda” (a free and open-source distribution of Python and R for data science and machine learning).

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Method 1: Installing OpenCV using PIP

PIP is the default package manager for Python. It allows you to install and manage third-party Python packages (such as OpenCV) from the command line.

To install OpenCV using PIP, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window and type the following command to install OpenCV:

   pip install opencv-python 
   

   This command will install the latest version of OpenCV and its dependencies.

2. Once the installation is complete, you can verify that OpenCV has been installed by typing the following command:

   pip show opencv-python 
   

   This command will display information about the installed version of OpenCV.

Method 2: Installing OpenCV using Anaconda

Anaconda is a free and open-source distribution of Python and R for data science and machine learning. It comes with a package manager called conda that allows you to install and manage third-party Python packages (such as OpenCV) from the command line.

To install OpenCV using Anaconda, follow these steps:

1. Download and install Anaconda from the Anaconda website.
2. Open a terminal window and create a new `conda` environment by typing the following command:

   conda create -n env_name python=3.10 
   

   Replace env_name with the name of your environment. This command will create a new `conda` environment called “env_name” with “Python 3.10” installed.

3. Activate the new environment by typing the following command:

   conda activate env_name 
   

4. Install OpenCV by typing the following command:

   conda install -c conda-forge opencv 
   

   This command will install the latest version of OpenCV and its dependencies.

5. Once the installation is complete, you can verify that OpenCV has been installed by typing the following command:

   conda list | grep opencv 
   

   This command will display information about the installed version of OpenCV.

Conclusion

In this article, we have covered two different methods for installing OpenCV in Python: using PIP and using Anaconda. Both methods are relatively straightforward, but using Anaconda has the added benefit of allowing you to create and manage separate environments for your Python projects. This can be useful for avoiding conflicts between packages and for keeping your projects organized.