How to Install TensorFlow on Ubuntu 20.04

Introduction

Before we begin talking about how to install TensorFlow on Ubuntu 20.04. Let’s briefly understand - What is TensorFlow?

TensorFlow is a powerful open-source library widely used for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. Developed by Google, TensorFlow simplifies the creation and deployment of deep learning models. With its flexible architecture, it allows developers to build and train neural networks efficiently.

By harnessing the potential of distributed computing, TensorFlow enables faster and more accurate data processing. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to beginners and experts alike, making it a popular choice in the AI community.

In this tutorial, you will install TensorFlow on Ubuntu 20.04. We will also address a few FAQs on how to install TensorFlow on Ubuntu 20.04.

Advantages of TensorFlow

1. Powerful: TensorFlow offers a robust and comprehensive framework for building and deploying machine learning models.
2. Flexibility: Its versatile architecture allows developers to create and train neural networks with ease, adapting to diverse project requirements.
3. Scalability: TensorFlow leverages distributed computing, enabling efficient processing of large-scale datasets for faster and more accurate results.
4. Accessibility: With a user-friendly interface, TensorFlow is accessible to both beginners and experts in the field of machine learning.
5. Community Support: TensorFlow has a thriving community that provides extensive resources, tutorials, and libraries, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Step 1 - Install Python 3 and the venv

1) Ubuntu 20.04 comes by default with Python 3.8. You can verify if Python is installed by using the following command:

python3 -V

The output will be:

Output

Python 3.8.2

2) The best way to create the virtual environment is to use the venv module, which is used in the python3-venv package.

Run the following command to create a virtual environment:

sudo apt install python3-venv python3-dev

If you got an error as you have broken package, fix it using the below command and rerun the above command to install python-venv.

sudo apt --fix-broken install

After installing, you are ready to create a virtual environment for your TensorFlow project.

Step 2 - Create a Virtual Environment

1) Now, start by navigating to the directory where you would like to store your Python 3 virtual environments. It can either be your home directory or any other directory where you have read and write permissions.

2) After that, create a new directory and cd into it using the following command:

mkdir my_tensorflow
cd my_tensorflow

3) Once you are inside the directory. Continue to run the below command. It will create a virtual environment:

python3 -m venv venv

The command which you just used will create a directory as venv. It contains a copy of the Python binary, Pip package manager, standard Python library, and other supporting files.

Now, you need to activate the virtual environment using the below command:

source venv/bin/activate

4) After activation, the virtual environment’s bin directory gets added at the beginning of $PATH variable. Shell’s prompt will change as well and will show the name of the virtual environment you are currently using. Here we have kept it as venv.

5) The TensorFlow installation needs pip version 19 or higher. Run the below command to upgrade pip to the latest version:

pip install --upgrade pip

Step 3 - Install the TensorFlow

1) Now that the virtual environment activation is complete, it is time to install the TensorFlow package using the following command:

pip install --upgrade tensorflow

If you are getting errors  killed while downloading the module, fix it using the below command.

pip install --upgrade tensorflow --no-cache

2) After that, to verify the installation, do it using the below command. It will print the TensorFlow version:

python -c 'import tensorflow as tf; print(tf.__version__)'

3) Here, the latest version of TensorFlow is 2.0.0.

Output

2.0.0

Your TensorFlow version can differ from the version displayed here.

4) If you are new to TensorFlow, then, visit the Get Started with TensorFlow page and learn to build your first ML application.

5) After your work is complete, you may deactivate the virtual environment by typing deactivate and you will return to your normal shell.

FAQs to Install TensorFlow on Ubuntu 20.04

Conclusion

We hope this detailed tutorial helped you to install TensorFlow on Ubuntu 20.04.

If you have any queries or doubts, please leave them in the comment below. We'll be happy to address them.