Use Conda environment instead of Python venv in Windows script based set-up (inside scripts/setup.ps1 ) #1072
Description
Currently, the manual setup instructions use Conda, but the automated Windows setup.ps1 script creates Python virtual environments using python -m venv for the backend and sync-microservice. For consistency and better dependency management, the script should also use Conda.
Proposed changes:
Install Miniconda if not present.
Replace python -m venv .env and .sync-env creation with conda create -n <env_name> python=3.12.
Activate the Conda environment and install dependencies from requirements.txt.
Update the PATH if necessary for Conda binaries.
Benefits:
Consistent environment management between manual and script-based setup
Better dependency isolation on Windows
Avoids common venv issues such as broken pip inside the environment
Easier reproducibility for contributors
Additional context:
Switching to Conda in the script aligns it with the manual instructions and ensures all contributors have a consistent and reliable setup experience.