How to update Spyder in Anaconda to 5.x?

Spyder is one of my favorite IDE(Integrated Development Environment) for Python programming and visualization. I came across Spyder while using Anaconda Navigator

What is Spyder?

Spyder is a free and open-source scientific environment written in Python, for Python, and designed by and for scientists, engineers, and data analysts. It features a unique combination of the advanced editing, analysis, debugging, and profiling functionality of a comprehensive development tool with the data exploration, interactive execution, deep inspection, and beautiful visualization capabilities of a scientific package.

What didn't work 🤔

Whenever I launch Spyder IDE, I get this prompt to upgrade the version to 5.x, and today, I decided to do that on my macOS. So, I started with the commands I am aware of

conda update spyder

Showed a couple of packages to update, hit y, no luck :(

then

conda update conda

Failed with

RemoveError: 'requests' is a dependency of conda and cannot be removed from
conda's operating environment.
RemoveError: 'setuptools' is a dependency of conda and cannot be removed from
conda's operating environment.

So, tried with --force flag

conda update --force conda
conda update anaconda

But, still no luck. I still see Spyder 4.x when I launch the IDE.

What worked 🎉

Here's for worked

conda update --all

Collecting package metadata (current_repodata.json): done
Solving environment: done

## Package Plan ##

  environment location: /Users/vidyasagarmachupalli/opt/anaconda3


The following packages will be downloaded:

    package                    |            build
    ---------------------------|-----------------
    anaconda-navigator-2.0.1   |           py38_0         6.5 MB
    astropy-4.2.1              |   py38h9ed2024_1         6.1 MB
    conda-build-3.21.4         |   py38hecd8cb5_0         551 KB
    conda-repo-cli-1.0.3       |     pyhd3eb1b0_0         267 KB
    conda-token-0.2.0          |     pyhd3eb1b0_0           9 KB
    mkl-2021.2.0               |     hecd8cb5_269       100.0 MB
    mkl-service-2.3.0          |   py38h9ed2024_1          43 KB
    mkl_fft-1.3.0              |   py38h4a7008c_2         163 KB
    mkl_random-1.2.1           |   py38hb2f4e1b_2         272 KB
    numexpr-2.7.3              |   py38h5873af2_1         124 KB
    numpy-1.20.1               |   py38hd6e1bb9_0          22 KB
    numpy-base-1.20.1          |   py38h585ceec_0         4.4 MB
    pyerfa-1.7.3               |   py38h9ed2024_0         299 KB
    python-3.8.8               |       h88f2d9e_5        20.9 MB
    python.app-3               |   py38h9ed2024_0          20 KB
    scipy-1.6.2                |   py38hd5f7400_1        14.5 MB
    ------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Total:       154.1 MB

The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:

  conda-repo-cli     pkgs/main/noarch::conda-repo-cli-1.0.3-pyhd3eb1b0_0
  conda-token        pkgs/main/noarch::conda-token-0.2.0-pyhd3eb1b0_0
  pyerfa             pkgs/main/osx-64::pyerfa-1.7.3-py38h9ed2024_0

The following packages will be UPDATED:

  anaconda-navigator                          1.10.0-py38_0 --> 2.0.1-py38_0
  astropy                              4.0.2-py38haf1e3a3_0 --> 4.2.1-py38h9ed2024_1
  conda-build                                 3.20.5-py38_1 --> 3.21.4-py38hecd8cb5_0
  mkl                                            2019.4-233 --> 2021.2.0-hecd8cb5_269
  mkl-service                          2.3.0-py38h9ed2024_0 --> 2.3.0-py38h9ed2024_1
  mkl_fft                              1.3.0-py38ha059aab_0 --> 1.3.0-py38h4a7008c_2
  mkl_random                           1.1.1-py38h959d312_0 --> 1.2.1-py38hb2f4e1b_2
  numexpr                              2.7.3-py38h16bde0e_0 --> 2.7.3-py38h5873af2_1
  numpy                               1.19.2-py38h456fd55_0 --> 1.20.1-py38hd6e1bb9_0
  numpy-base                          1.19.2-py38hcfb5961_0 --> 1.20.1-py38h585ceec_0
  python                                   3.8.5-h26836e1_1 --> 3.8.8-h88f2d9e_5
  python.app                                      2-py38_10 --> 3-py38h9ed2024_0
  scipy                                1.6.2-py38h2515648_0 --> 1.6.2-py38hd5f7400_1


Proceed ([y]/n)? y

If you observe, the Anaconda Navigator is getting updated as well.

Restart the navigator to see this

For me, the Update application didn't work. So, I have to

• Click Install specific version.
• Select 5.0.0.

I hope this helps :)

Resolutions ⚠️

If you see the below error

/opt/anaconda3/bin/pythonw: line 3: /opt/anaconda3/python.app/Contents/MacOS/python: No such file or directory

resolve it with

conda install --force python.app

P.S. I also use Pycharm IDE for Python programming