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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. The available runtimes depend on your licensing and privileges.

Note:

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

Runtimes are assigned a version number based on their corresponding ArcGIS Notebook Server version:

ArcGIS Notebook Server versionRuntime version

10.7

1.0

10.7.1

2.0

10.8

3.0

10.8.1

4.0

10.9

5.0

10.9.1

6.0

11.0

7.0

11.1

8.0

For example, the Standard runtime for 10.9 is named ArcGIS Notebook Server Standard 5.0.

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 runtimes.

If your organization only has the Standard runtime available and you are assigned a role containing the corresponding privilege, you can start authoring notebooks immediately.

Choose a notebook runtime

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 can 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 provided below.

Note:

If your organization has both runtimes available, and your site administrator has granted you privileges to author notebooks using the Advanced runtime, all notebooks you create will use the Advanced runtime by default.

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

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

Change a notebook runtime

It is recommended that you update the notebook runtime when a new version is available to take advantage of the latest available Python libraries. Follow these steps to change the runtime applied to an existing notebook. This workflow can only be done by members who can author notebooks using either notebook runtime.

Note:

Before changing the runtime for a notebook from Advanced to Standard, ensure the notebook does not use ArcPy or other libraries that are only available in the Advanced notebook runtime. An error appears when you run cells in the notebook that use these libraries with the Standard 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 choose 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 now uses the Standard runtime and can be shared with any member who has Standard runtime access. A second container is launched to host this notebook. ArcPy is unavailable in the notebook.