virtualenv --help

usage: virtualenv [--version] [--with-traceback] [-v | -q] [--read-only-app-data] [--app-data APP_DATA] [--reset-app-data] [--upgrade-embed-wheels] [--discovery {builtin}] [-p py] [--try-first-with py_exe]
                  [--creator {builtin,cpython3-mac-framework,venv}] [--seeder {app-data,pip}] [--no-seed] [--activators comma_sep_list] [--clear] [--no-vcs-ignore] [--system-site-packages] [--symlinks | --copies]
                  [--no-download | --download] [--extra-search-dir d [d ...]] [--pip version] [--setuptools version] [--wheel version] [--no-pip] [--no-setuptools] [--no-wheel] [--no-periodic-update] [--symlink-app-data] [--prompt prompt]
                  [-h]
                  dest

optional arguments:
  --version                     display the version of the virtualenv package and its location, then exit
  --with-traceback              on failure also display the stacktrace internals of virtualenv (default: False)
  --read-only-app-data          use app data folder in read-only mode (write operations will fail with error) (default: False)
  --app-data APP_DATA           a data folder used as cache by the virtualenv (default: /Users/YOUR_USER/Library/Application Support/virtualenv)
  --reset-app-data              start with empty app data folder (default: False)
  --upgrade-embed-wheels        trigger a manual update of the embedded wheels (default: False)
  -h, --help                    show this help message and exit

verbosity:
  verbosity = verbose - quiet, default INFO, mapping => CRITICAL=0, ERROR=1, WARNING=2, INFO=3, DEBUG=4, NOTSET=5

  -v, --verbose                 increase verbosity (default: 2)
  -q, --quiet                   decrease verbosity (default: 0)

discovery:
  discover and provide a target interpreter

  --discovery {builtin}         interpreter discovery method (default: builtin)
  -p py, --python py            interpreter based on what to create environment (path/identifier) - by default use the interpreter where the tool is installed - first found wins (default: [])
  --try-first-with py_exe       try first these interpreters before starting the discovery (default: [])

creator:
  options for creator builtin

  --creator {builtin,cpython3-mac-framework,venv}
                                create environment via (builtin = cpython3-mac-framework) (default: builtin)
  dest                          directory to create virtualenv at
  --clear                       remove the destination directory if exist before starting (will overwrite files otherwise) (default: False)
  --no-vcs-ignore               don't create VCS ignore directive in the destination directory (default: False)
  --system-site-packages        give the virtual environment access to the system site-packages dir (default: False)
  --symlinks                    try to use symlinks rather than copies, when symlinks are not the default for the platform (default: True)
  --copies, --always-copy       try to use copies rather than symlinks, even when symlinks are the default for the platform (default: False)

seeder:
  options for seeder app-data

  --seeder {app-data,pip}       seed packages install method (default: app-data)
  --no-seed, --without-pip      do not install seed packages (default: False)
  --no-download, --never-download
                                pass to disable download of the latest pip/setuptools/wheel from PyPI (default: True)
  --download                    pass to enable download of the latest pip/setuptools/wheel from PyPI (default: False)
  --extra-search-dir d [d ...]  a path containing wheels to extend the internal wheel list (can be set 1+ times) (default: [])
  --pip version                 version of pip to install as seed: embed, bundle or exact version (default: bundle)
  --setuptools version          version of setuptools to install as seed: embed, bundle or exact version (default: bundle)
  --wheel version               version of wheel to install as seed: embed, bundle or exact version (default: bundle)
  --no-pip                      do not install pip (default: False)
  --no-setuptools               do not install setuptools (default: False)
  --no-wheel                    do not install wheel (default: False)
  --no-periodic-update          disable the periodic (once every 14 days) update of the embedded wheels (default: False)
  --symlink-app-data            symlink the python packages from the app-data folder (requires seed pip>=19.3) (default: False)

activators:
  options for activation scripts

  --activators comma_sep_list   activators to generate - default is all supported (default: bash,cshell,fish,nushell,powershell,python)
  --prompt prompt               provides an alternative prompt prefix for this environment (value of . means name of the current working directory) (default: None)

config file /Users/YOUR_USER/Library/Preferences/virtualenv/virtualenv.ini missing (change via env var VIRTUALENV_CONFIG_FILE)

See also

• virtualenv, venv, .venv, .venv/, pip3 install virtualenv, virtualenv --help