title: Conda: How can I update just the packages I specify in my command?
body: <p>I'm trying to update a single package in my latest Anaconda installation (release date <strong>2020-07-31</strong>, <code>Ubuntu 20.04.1</code>), but lots of other package updates were suggested, including a few I don't necessarily want.</p>
  <p><strong>How can I narrow down to updating only the packages I care about?</strong></p>
  <h1>Spec</h1>
  <p>Python version: <code>3.8.3</code></p>
  <p><code>Conda</code> version: <code>4.8.4</code></p>
  <h1>Problem Output</h1>
  <p>when I tried <code>conda update numpy</code>, <code>conda</code> either wants to update a lot of <strong>other</strong> packages, or complains that a specific version is pinned by <code>anaconda</code> package.</p>
  <p>It doesn't need to be <code>numpy</code>, could be another package, like <code>scipy</code>. Below is what I got. Why are there so MANY packages? Can I not just get <code>numpy</code> and MOVE ON?</p>
  <pre><code>conda update numpy
  
  # output below, why can't I just update numpy ONLY??
  ....
  
  The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:
  
    _anaconda_depends  pkgs/main/linux-64::_anaconda_depends-2020.07-py38_0
    argon2-cffi        pkgs/main/linux-64::argon2-cffi-20.1.0-py38h7b6447c_1
    gettext            pkgs/main/linux-64::gettext-0.19.8.1-hd7bead4_3
    iniconfig          pkgs/main/noarch::iniconfig-1.0.1-py_0
    libiconv           pkgs/main/linux-64::libiconv-1.15-h63c8f33_5
  
  The following packages will be UPDATED:
  
    asn1crypto         pkgs/main/linux-64::asn1crypto-1.3.0-~ --&gt; pkgs/main/noarch::asn1crypto-1.4.0-py_0
    bitarray                             1.4.0-py38h7b6447c_0 --&gt; 1.5.2-py38h7b6447c_0
    blosc                                   1.19.0-hd408876_0 --&gt; 1.20.0-hd408876_0
    fribidi                                  1.0.9-h7b6447c_0 --&gt; 1.0.10-h7b6447c_0
    fsspec                                         0.7.4-py_0 --&gt; 0.8.0-py_0
    gstreamer                               1.14.0-hb31296c_0 --&gt; 1.14.0-hb453b48_1
    ipykernel                            5.3.2-py38h5ca1d4c_0 --&gt; 5.3.4-py38h5ca1d4c_0
    ld_impl_linux-64   pkgs/main::ld_impl_linux-64-2.33.1-h5~ --&gt; conda-forge::ld_impl_linux-64-2.34-hc38a660_9
    lz4-c                                    1.9.2-he6710b0_0 --&gt; 1.9.2-he6710b0_1
    notebook                                     6.0.3-py38_0 --&gt; 6.1.1-py38_0
    numpy                               1.18.5-py38ha1c710e_0 --&gt; 1.19.1-py38hbc911f0_0
    numpy-base                          1.18.5-py38hde5b4d6_0 --&gt; 1.19.1-py38hfa32c7d_0
    pandas                               1.0.5-py38h0573a6f_0 --&gt; 1.1.0-py38he6710b0_0
    pandoc                                             2.10-0 --&gt; 2.10.1-0
    path.py                                          12.4.0-0 --&gt; 12.5.0-0
    pip                                         20.1.1-py38_1 --&gt; 20.2.2-py38_0
    pytest                                       5.4.3-py38_0 --&gt; 6.0.1-py38_0
    python                 pkgs/main::python-3.8.3-hcff3b4d_2 --&gt; conda-forge::python-3.8.5-h1103e12_5_cpython
    regex                             2020.6.8-py38h7b6447c_0 --&gt; 2020.7.14-py38h7b6447c_0
    scipy                                1.5.0-py38h0b6359f_0 --&gt; 1.5.2-py38h0b6359f_0
    setuptools                                  49.2.0-py38_0 --&gt; 49.6.0-py38_0
    sphinx                                         3.1.2-py_0 --&gt; 3.2.1-py_0
    sphinxcontrib-web~                             1.2.3-py_0 --&gt; 1.2.4-py_0
    sqlite                                  3.32.3-h62c20be_0 --&gt; 3.33.0-h62c20be_0
    tbb                                     2020.0-hfd86e86_0 --&gt; 2020.1-hfd86e86_0
    tblib                                          1.6.0-py_0 --&gt; 1.7.0-py_0
    urllib3                                       1.25.9-py_0 --&gt; 1.25.10-py_0
  
  The following packages will be SUPERSEDED by a higher-priority channel:
  
    glib                    pkgs/main::glib-2.65.0-h3eb4bd4_0 --&gt; conda-forge::glib-2.65.0-h6f030ca_0
  
  The following packages will be DOWNGRADED:
  
    anaconda                                   2020.07-py38_0 --&gt; custom-py38_1
    cffi                                1.14.0-py38he30daa8_1 --&gt; 1.14.0-py38h2e261b9_0
    libffi                                     3.3-he6710b0_2 --&gt; 3.2.1-hd88cf55_4
    zstd                                     1.4.5-h0b5b093_0 --&gt; 1.4.5-h9ceee32_0
  
  
  Proceed ([y]/n)? n
  
  </code></pre>
  <p>I did not like the fact that <code>python</code> was being updated to a <code>conda-forge</code> package (not that I have anything against <code>conda-forge</code> packages), since I did not ask for it.</p>
  <p>Here is my <code>$HOME/.condarc</code> file:</p>
  <pre><code>channels:
    - defaults
    - pytorch
    - conda-forge
  </code></pre>
  <p>Appreciate your help here.</p>