Last modified: Jun 01, 2025 By Alexander Williams

How to Install Lime in Python Easily

Lime (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) is a popular Python library. It helps explain machine learning models. This guide shows how to install it.

What is Lime?

Lime explains predictions of any classifier. It works with text, images, and tabular data. It's useful for explainable AI projects.

Like SHAP, Lime provides model insights. But it uses a different approach.

Prerequisites

Before installing Lime, ensure you have:

  • Python 3.6 or higher
  • pip package manager
  • Basic Python knowledge

Install Lime Using pip

The easiest way to install Lime is via pip. Run this command:


pip install lime


Collecting lime
  Downloading lime-0.2.0.1.tar.gz (275 kB)
Successfully installed lime-0.2.0.1

Verify Installation

Check if Lime installed correctly. Run Python and import it:

 
import lime
print(lime.__version__)


0.2.0.1

Install with Anaconda

For Anaconda users, use this command:


conda install -c conda-forge lime

Basic Lime Example

Here's a simple example using Lime with a classifier:

 
from lime.lime_tabular import LimeTabularExplainer
import numpy as np

# Sample data
features = np.random.rand(100, 5)
labels = np.random.randint(0, 2, 100)

# Create explainer
explainer = LimeTabularExplainer(features, feature_names=['f1', 'f2', 'f3', 'f4', 'f5'])

# Explain a prediction
exp = explainer.explain_instance(features[0], lambda x: x)
exp.show_in_notebook()

This shows feature importance for a prediction.

Troubleshooting

If you face issues, try these solutions:

  • Upgrade pip: pip install --upgrade pip
  • Check Python version
  • Install dependencies manually

For similar libraries, see Eli5 or XGBoost.

Conclusion

Installing Lime in Python is straightforward. Use pip or conda for quick setup. Lime helps explain complex models effectively.

For more advanced explainability, combine Lime with other tools. It's great for understanding model decisions.