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Specify the runtime of a notebook

When you author a notebook, the resources and Python libraries you use are made available through a notebook runtime. This runtime is loaded into your notebook container by your site administrator.

There are two runtimes available: the Standard runtime contains ArcGIS API for Python along with a few hundred other Python libraries, and the Advanced runtime contains all of the same libraries as well as ArcPy and some related libraries.

Note:

Notebooks that use the Advanced runtime can run ArcGIS API for Python and all other libraries from the Standard runtime.

Whether you can use only the Standard runtime or both the Standard and Advanced runtimes depends on the license your administrator has obtained from Esri.

To author notebooks, your administrator must assign you a custom member role that contains the appropriate privileges. There is one privilege to author notebooks using the Standard runtime, and another privilege to author notebooks using the Advanced runtime.

If your ArcGIS Notebook Server site has only the Standard runtime available and you've been assigned a role containing the corresponding privilege, you don't need to do anything else. You can start authoring notebooks immediately.

When you create a blank notebook, you choose which runtime the notebook will use. The list you choose from is based on your privileges; if you have been granted the Advanced Notebooks privilege, you will be able to choose between Standard and Advanced runtimes, as well as any custom runtime available. You can also change the runtime of a notebook after it has been created; the steps to do so are given below.

If you have the appropriate privileges, you may want to create notebooks using either runtime in different situations. For example, you're authoring a notebook to share with other notebook authors in your organization who don't have the Advanced Notebooks privilege. To share your notebook with them, you need to specify the notebook to use the Standard runtime.

Note:

Before changing the runtime for a notebook from Advanced to Standard, ensure there is no content from ArcPy or the other Advanced libraries in the notebook. If there is, an error will appear when members open the notebook.

The first time you create a notebook using a runtime you haven't used before, a new container will be launched for you. This container will include the Standard runtime, and will be separate from your first container (which includes the Advanced runtime). Ensure your site administrator is aware of this and can adjust the available system resources if necessary.

Follow these steps to specify the runtime applied to an existing notebook. This workflow can only be used by members who can author notebooks using either notebook runtime.

  1. Open the notebook's item details page and click the Settings tab.

    In the Notebook section of the tab, under Notebook Settings, the Notebook Runtime option designates the runtime the notebook is using.

  2. Click the drop-down list, and select the runtime.
    Note:

    If you don't have the Advanced Notebooks privilege, only the Standard runtime appears in the drop-down list.

  3. Click Save to confirm.

The notebook will now use the Standard runtime and can be shared with any member who has Standard runtime access. A second container will have been launched to host this notebook. ArcPy will be unavailable in the notebook.