ArcGIS Pro Python Repo Template (VS Code + arcpy)

This repository is a template for geospatial Python projects that use ArcGIS Pro 3.x (commonly 3.4+ in practice) and arcpy.

It is designed to get analysts productive quickly with minimal setup:

• VS Code is the IDE (including Git via the VS Code Source Control panel)
• The integrated terminal is configured to initialize ESRI’s Python tooling via proenv.bat
• You create a per-repo cloned environment named .conda-arcgis from ESRI’s arcgispro-py3
• A smoke test verifies arcpy is working

Authoritative ESRI guidance:

• https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/arcpy/get-started/installing-python-for-arcgis-pro.htm

Requirements

• Windows + ArcGIS Pro 3.x installed
• VS Code installed using your organization’s approved workflow
• Git installed using your organization’s approved workflow

Quickstart (10 minutes)

1) Create your project repo from this template

In GitHub:

• Click Use this template
• Create a new repository in your approved org/location

2) Clone using VS Code (no CLI required)

In VS Code:

• Source Control → Clone Repository
• Paste your new repo URL
• Open the cloned repo

3) Create the per-repo environment (one-time)

Open ArcGIS Pro Python Command Prompt (Start Menu), then run:

conda create --name .conda-arcgis --clone arcgispro-py3

4) Open the ESRI-configured terminal in VS Code

This repo includes a VS Code terminal profile that runs:

• C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\bin\Python\Scripts\proenv.bat

In VS Code:

• Terminal → New Terminal

Activate the project environment:

conda activate .conda-arcgis

5) Run the smoke test

python scripts/smoke_test_arcpy.py

If this passes, you are ready to work.

Select the correct Python interpreter in VS Code (required)

Even if the terminal is correct, VS Code still needs the correct interpreter for:

• IntelliSense
• Running scripts via the Python extension
• Jupyter notebooks

Steps:

1. Ctrl+Shift+P → Python: Select Interpreter
2. Choose the interpreter for the conda env named: .conda-arcgis
3. If you don’t see it:
   • restart VS Code
   • ensure .conda-arcgis exists: conda env list

Verify (in VS Code terminal):

python -c "import sys; print(sys.executable)"
python -c "import arcpy; print(arcpy.__version__)"

Notebook start (recommended)

Open:

• notebooks/00_getting_started.ipynb

When prompted to select a kernel:

• choose .conda-arcgis

Project structure

• notebooks/ — exploratory analysis + narrative
• scripts/ — runnable workflows / entry points
• src/ — reusable functions/modules
• data/ — project data (use judgment; avoid huge files)
• outputs/ — generated outputs (use judgment; avoid committing huge/binary artifacts)
• env/ — environment metadata capture

Capture environment metadata (recommended)

Basic metadata (small):

python env/capture_env_metadata.py

Also write a pip package list (often large):

python env/capture_env_metadata.py --pip-freeze

Troubleshooting

• If conda is not found in VS Code terminal:

  • open a new terminal (it should use the “ArcGIS Pro Python …” profile)
  • restart VS Code

• If arcpy fails to import:

  • conda activate .conda-arcgis
  • re-run smoke test

What to commit (simple rule)

• Commit code, notebooks, and documentation.
• Avoid committing huge data and bulky generated outputs.