ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pandas'

Posted in Python by Dirk - last update: Feb 02, 2024

Python raises the ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pandas when it is unable to find the pandas library. The most likely cause is that you didn’t install pandas in the environment where you are running your code. Quick fix: install pandas using: the pip install pandas command

Possible causes and solutions

The ```pandas`` library in Python is a powerful and widely used open-source data manipulation and analysis tool. It provides data structures for efficiently storing and manipulating large datasets and tools for working with structured data

Sample code:

import pandas as pd

# Creating a DataFrame
data = {'Name': ['Alice', 'Bob', 'Charlie'],
        'Age': [25, 30, 22],
        'City': ['New York', 'San Francisco', 'Los Angeles']}

df = pd.DataFrame(data)

# Displaying the DataFrame
print(df)

# Calculating descriptive statistics
print(df.describe())

# Selecting a column
print(df['Name'])

And when trying to run the code you get the ’no module named error’ - you try running your code, and there it is:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "myfile.py", line 1, in <module>
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pandas'

Luckily, it is easy to fix. Below you can find the most common causes and how to fix them:

‘pandas’ Library is not installed

In your code you are importing the ‘pandas’ module

import pandas as pd

which generates the ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pandas’. The the most common cause for this error: the environment where you are running your code doesn’t have the pandas library installed.

You can use the following command in the terminal or command prompt to check if the pandas library is installed:

pip show pandas

If pandas is not installed you will get this result:

WARNING: Package(s) not found: pandas

Solution:

pip install pandas

‘pandas’ Module installed in the Wrong Directory

It is possible that you did install the Pandas module, but that the directory where you installed it is not in the Python path.

You can check the Python path in a few different ways:

1. Using sys module in Python:

Open a Python script or the Python interpreter and run the following code:

import sys
print(sys.path)

This will print a list of directories that make up the Python path.

2. Using Command Line

Open a command prompt or terminal and run:

Windows

echo %PYTHONPATH%

Unix/Linux/macOS

echo $PYTHONPATH

If the PYTHONPATH environment variable is set, it will display the directories in the Python path.

Solution: Move the pandas module to a directory that is included in the Python path or add the pandas module’s directory to the sys.path using sys.path.append().

‘pandas’ not installed in Virtual Environment

Even if you have pandas installed in on your computer, if you are using a virtual environment you cannot access it from this environment.

If you are using virtual environments, ensure that the virtual environment is activated, and that the pandas modules is installed within this environment.

Installation is simple:

pip install pandas

File Naming Conflicts:

It is not really likely - but if you happen to have a pandas.py file in your environment and you also installed the standard pandas library it will cause a conflict. Rename your script/module to avoid conflicts with existing module names.