gyzelle01 / multiphase-macos-env-python

Installing Python on MacOS

Note: Depending on where you are in the curriculum and when you started the program, you may already have installed pyenv, Python, and pipenv. If so, you are free to skip this lesson. Before continuing, however, we recommend that you verify that everything is set up correctly by completing the steps in the "Verify and Troubleshoot your MacOS Environment Setup" lesson.

Install pyenv

Before installing Python, we first need to install pyenv, a version manager for Python. We will likely only use Python version 3.8.13 in the Software Engineering curriculum, but installing pyenv will make it simple to install newer versions later on.

Enter the following command in the Terminal:

$ brew install pyenv

Open your .zshrcfile in VSCode:

$ code ~/.zshrc

Add the following to the end of the file:

if which pyenv > /dev/null; then
  eval "$(pyenv init -)";
fi

We want to load pyenv every time we open a new terminal window; this will make sure that it does!

Enter the following command to load your new settings:

$ source ~/.zshrc

---

Install Python

Run the following command to install Python (you'll notice pyenv makes us put in the exact version instead of being able to just say 3.8 or 3):

$ pyenv install 3.8.13

After some time this should complete without any errors. It could take a while since you are compiling Python from source code.

Once this is finished we also need to tell pyenv this is our default version of Python using this command:

$ pyenv global 3.8.13

Ensure that these changes take effect by closing your terminal and opening a new one.

Check Your Work

You can verify that you have the correct version of Python installed by typing:

$ python3 --version

This command should show 3.8.13.

---

Install Pipenv

Another piece of software we will use in class is Pipenv. We will learn more about what Pipenv is later; for now, go ahead and install it:

$ pip install pipenv

After you have installed pipenv, modify your .zshrc file to add an export line inside the if statement we added earlier, after the eval line:

 if which pyenv > /dev/null; then
     eval "$(pyenv init - )";
     export PIPENV_VENV_IN_PROJECT=1
 fi

Save and close your shell startup file, then enter the following command once again to finish configuring your environment:

$ source ~/.zshrc

Congratulations! If you've completed all these steps you are ready to code in Python!