Problem: import tensorflow as tf causes an error in the Conda environment

I am trying to import TensorFlow and Keras in a Python script using the following command:

import tensorflow as tf

print("TensorFlow and Keras are imported successfully!")

However, I encounter an error stating that the module tensorflow.keras cannot be found.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'tensorflow.keras'

Context:

• I created a Conda environment with Python 3.11
• I installed TensorFlow and Keras via pip in this environment.
• The versions of TensorFlow and Keras are compatible (TensorFlow 2.15.0, Keras 2.15.0).
• The import works in a Jupyter notebook, but not in a .py file run from the terminal.

Steps already attempted:

• Verified the installed versions of TensorFlow and Keras with pip list.
• Used a new minimal Conda environment with only TensorFlow and Keras installed.
• The import works correctly in Jupyter, but the ModuleNotFoundError for tensorflow.keras persists when running the Python file via the terminal.

Environment:

• Operating System: Windows
• Package Manager: Conda with pip to install packages

Question:

Why does the import of TensorFlow work in a Jupyter notebook but fail in a .py file run from the terminal? How can I resolve this issue?

What I tried:

• I installed TensorFlow and Keras via pip in my Conda environment.
• I verified the installation by running pip list to ensure that TensorFlow and Keras are properly installed.
• I tried importing TensorFlow in a Jupyter notebook, where it works fine.
• I created a new minimal Conda environment with only TensorFlow and Keras installed to rule out any environment conflicts.
• I also tried creating a minimal Conda environment with only TensorFlow installed to check if Keras was the source of the issue.

What I expected:

• I expected that the import tensorflow as tf would work both in the Jupyter notebook and in a regular .py script run from the terminal.
• I expected no ModuleNotFoundError when importing TensorFlow and Keras in a Python script executed from the terminal.

Problem: import tensorflow as tf causes an error in the Conda environment

I am trying to import TensorFlow and Keras in a Python script using the following command:

import tensorflow as tf

print("TensorFlow and Keras are imported successfully!")

However, I encounter an error stating that the module tensorflow.keras cannot be found.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'tensorflow.keras'

Context:

• I created a Conda environment with Python 3.11
• I installed TensorFlow and Keras via pip in this environment.
• The versions of TensorFlow and Keras are compatible (TensorFlow 2.15.0, Keras 2.15.0).
• The import works in a Jupyter notebook, but not in a .py file run from the terminal.

Steps already attempted:

• Verified the installed versions of TensorFlow and Keras with pip list.
• Used a new minimal Conda environment with only TensorFlow and Keras installed.
• The import works correctly in Jupyter, but the ModuleNotFoundError for tensorflow.keras persists when running the Python file via the terminal.

Environment:

• Operating System: Windows
• Package Manager: Conda with pip to install packages

Question:

Why does the import of TensorFlow work in a Jupyter notebook but fail in a .py file run from the terminal? How can I resolve this issue?

What I tried:

• I installed TensorFlow and Keras via pip in my Conda environment.
• I verified the installation by running pip list to ensure that TensorFlow and Keras are properly installed.
• I tried importing TensorFlow in a Jupyter notebook, where it works fine.
• I created a new minimal Conda environment with only TensorFlow and Keras installed to rule out any environment conflicts.
• I also tried creating a minimal Conda environment with only TensorFlow installed to check if Keras was the source of the issue.

What I expected:

• I expected that the import tensorflow as tf would work both in the Jupyter notebook and in a regular .py script run from the terminal.
• I expected no ModuleNotFoundError when importing TensorFlow and Keras in a Python script executed from the terminal.

• python
• tensorflow
• keras
• jupyter-notebook
• importerror

• 1 Just to be sure, are you activating the environment before executing the python script? Maybe jupyter is automatically selecting the correct environment and that's why is working. – Iran Ribeiro Commented Jan 20 at 17:37
• Yes, I am activating the Conda environment before running the Python script. I use the terminal in Windows to activate the environment and then run the script. – Mathieu BOSSE Commented Jan 20 at 20:52
• Additionally, I have tried running the script using the base Python environment installed via the Microsoft Store. I also tested it in other Conda environments that successfully run TensorFlow GPU in my Jupyter notebooks for machine learning tasks. Despite these attempts, the issue persists when I run the .py script, even though TensorFlow works correctly in the Jupyter notebooks within the same environments. – Mathieu BOSSE Commented Jan 20 at 21:03

3 Answers 3

Try using conda install if you are in VS code and if you are in pycharm you can try this link

In the terminal try to activate conda envirnoment first and then run the script.

Second option is to activate the envirnoment in your python script in the start.

Ensure Conda is in PATH. For this to work, your Conda installation path (e.g., C:\Anaconda3\Scripts) must be in the system's PATH environment variable.

The sample code is below.

import os
os.system("conda activate your_env_name && python -c \"print('Environment Activated')\"")

After some investigation, I realized what was happening when I saw a line of code from a different file showing up in the error message, even though I was working on a different script. It turns out I had named my script code.py, which clashed with Python’s built-in code module. So, when Python tried to import the code module, it ended up importing my script by mistake, causing the error. The fix was simple: I just renamed my script to something other than code.py, and that resolved the issue.