- How to add Python to the PATH variable in Mac
- Where do I find Python?
- Similar questions
- How do I find Python path on Mac?
- How do I find the PATH variable on a Mac?
- Where do I find Python on my Mac?
- How to Add Python to Path on Mac, Linux, and Windows
- Adding Python to Path on Windows
- Find the Python installation path
- Open the “Environment Variables” window
- Edit the PATH variable
- Test the new PATH setting.
- Adding Python to Path on macOS/Linux
- Find the Python installation path
- Edit the shell configuration file
- Add the Python path to the configuration file
- Save and reload the configuration file
- Test the new PATH setting
How to add Python to the PATH variable in Mac
The PATH variable is a list of directories where each directory contains a UNIX executable file (or its alias) for a command/program.
When a command is entered in the terminal, it searches for an executable file with the same name as the entered command in the PATH variable. In the event that the required file is not found, the terminal will respond with an error message saying that the command was not found.
One way to overcome this error is to write the complete directory of the executable file (or its alias) instead of just entering the command name. This, however, is not a very user-friendly approach.
An easier way to avoid this error is to add the executable files’ directory to the PATH variable. This often needs to be done after installing Python.
The complete path of the Python (or Python3) UNIX executable can be added (for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and up) by:
- Opening the Terminal and entering the command: sudo nano /etc/paths . Enter your password when prompted to do so.
- A list of directories that are currently a part of the PATH variable will appear. Enter the path of the Python install directory at the end of this list.
- Press control + X to quit and then Y to save the changes.
Python can now be used directly from the Terminal without having to write its location every time. Try executing the command python —version to output the default version of Python installed on your system.
Use python3 —version to find out the version of Python3.x.
Where do I find Python?
I know that mac-OS comes with an old version of Python. I can’t remember how to access it on the Terminal. I’m pretty sure that I installed a newer version of Python on my mini. It doesn’t show up in Applications. When I type the command in Terminal to start the new version of Python, the Terminal can’t find the file. What is the path? Is a new version of Python installed in a different folder every time that I update Python? Is there a search command in Terminal to look for Python? How do I delete Python, including the 1 that comes with mac-OS?
Mac mini, macOS High Sierra (10.13)
Posted on Apr 18, 2018 11:35 AM
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macos 10.15.7 How to remove python 2.6 I am attempting to install PlatformIO on a iMac 2019 macos 10.15.7 but I get the following error: OSError: [Errno 86] Bad CPU type in executable: ‘/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/bin/python’ I get the same error if I enter python2.6 in to a terminal window. I am sure that python 2.6 is 32 bit and Catalina is 64 bit. From a terminal echo $PATH gives the following : /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.9/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.9/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8/bin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin:/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/bin:/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/share/dotnet:/opt/X11/bin:~/.dotnet/tools:/Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/Versions/Current/Commands I am unable to find any instructions for removing python 2.6, do you know of any? Could I just change the PATH statement if so how? Can I just delete the /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6 directory ?
How do I find Python path on Mac?
For finding the full path of the Python interpreter you can use sys. executable which contains the full path of the currently running Python interpreter.
Is Python installed on my Mac?
Python comes pre-installed on Mac OS X so it is easy to start using. You can run a Python interpreter by double-clicking on Applications / Utilities / Terminal and typing python3 (if you’ve installed a version of Python 3) or python (to use Python 2) in the window that opens up.
What is the default Python interpreter?
By default, any Python interpreter that you’ve installed runs in its own global environment, which is not specific to any one project. For example, if you just run python (Windows) or python3 (macOS/Linux) at a new command prompt, you’re running in that interpreter’s global environment.
How do I find the PATH variable on a Mac?
You need to use the command echo $PATH to display the PATH variable or you can just execute set or env to display all of your environment variables. By typing $PATH you tried to run your PATH variable contents as a command name.
How do I know if Python 3 is installed on Mac?
Open up the Terminal application which is located within Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal . Once open, type python3 to launch the Python interpreter from the command line. When you see the prompt >>> you know it is working.
Where do I find the path to my Python interpreter?
IDEs often require you to specify the path to your Python interpreter. This path varies according to which operating system version and which Anaconda version you use, so you will need to search your file system to find the correct path to your Python interpreter.
Where do I find Python on my Mac?
On Mac OS X, it’s in the Python framework in /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Resources. Full path is: /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python.
How to find your Anaconda Python interpreter path?
1 Windows ¶. From the Start Menu open the Anaconda Prompt. If you want the location of a Python interpreter for a conda environment other than the root conda environment, run 2 macOS and Linux ¶. Open a terminal window. 3 Examples ¶. Windows 10 with Anaconda3 and username “jsmith”– C:\\Users\\jsmith\\Anaconda3\\python.exe.
What does the sys path do in Python?
path. sys.path is a built-in variable within the sys module. It contains a list of directories that the interpreter will search in for the required module. When a module (a module is a python file) is imported within a Python file, the interpreter first searches for the specified module among its built-in modules.
How to Add Python to Path on Mac, Linux, and Windows
Adding Python to the PATH environment variable makes running Python from any location in the command prompt or terminal easier.
Here’s how to add Python to the PATH in Windows and macOS/Linux.
Adding Python to Path on Windows
Find the Python installation path
Locate the folder where Python is installed. This is usually in the C:\PythonXY folder or C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\PythonXY folder, where X and Y represent the version of Python you have installed (e.g., Python38 for Python 3.8).
Open the “Environment Variables” window
Right-click on the “Computer” or “This PC” icon on the Desktop or in File Explorer, then click “Properties”. In the “System” window, click “Advanced system settings” on the left side. In the “System Properties” window, go to the “Advanced” tab and click the “Environment Variables” button.
Edit the PATH variable
In the “Environment Variables” window, under “System variables”, find the “Path” variable, select it, and click “Edit”. Then, in the “Edit environment variable” window, click “New” and paste the path to your Python installation folder (from Step 1).
Also, add the path to the “Scripts” folder, which is usually in the same folder as the Python installation (e.g., C:\PythonXY\Scripts). Finally, click “OK” to save the changes.
Test the new PATH setting.
Close any open command prompt windows and open a new one. For example, type python and press Enter. If Python is added to the PATH correctly, you should see the Python interpreter running with the version number displayed.
Adding Python to Path on macOS/Linux
In macOS and Linux, Python is usually already added to the PATH. If it’s not, you can add it by editing the shell configuration file:
Find the Python installation path
Open the terminal and run which python3 or which Python. This command will return the path to the Python executable (e.g., /usr/local/bin/python3).
Edit the shell configuration file
Open the shell configuration file in a text editor. For Bash, this is usually the ~/.bash_profile, ~/.bashrc, or ~/.profile file. For Zsh, this is the ~/.zshrc file.
Add the Python path to the configuration file
Add the following line to the file, replacing /path/to/python with the path from Step 1:
export PATH="/path/to/python:$PATH"
For example, if the path is /usr/local/bin/python3 , add the following line:
export PATH="/usr/local/bin/python3:$PATH"
Save and reload the configuration file
Save the changes and close the text editor. In the terminal, run source ~/.bash_profile, source ~/.bashrc, source ~/.profile, or source ~/.zshrc, depending on the file you edited in Step 2.
Test the new PATH setting
Close the terminal and open a new one. Type python or python3 and press Enter.
If Python is added to the PATH correctly, you should see the Python interpreter running with the version number displayed.