If you’re working on a macOS system and encounter the “zsh: command not found: python” error, it usually means that the Python executable is not installed or not correctly configured in your system’s PATH. This issue is common, especially after macOS removed the pre-installed Python 2. Here’s how to resolve it:

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Verify Python Installation

First, check if Python is installed on your system. Open your terminal and run:

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python3 --version

If you see the version number, Python is installed, but the python command might not be correctly linked. If you see an error, proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Install Python

If Python is not installed, you can install it using Homebrew, a package manager for macOS:

  1. Install Homebrew (if not already installed):

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    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

  2. Install Python:

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    brew install python

This will install Python 3 and its associated tools, including pip.

Step 3: Update Your Shell Configuration

After installing Python, you need to ensure that the python command points to the correct executable. You can do this by creating an alias in your Zsh configuration file.

  1. Open your ~/.zshrc file in a text editor:

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    nano ~/.zshrc

  2. Add the following line to the file:

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    alias python=/usr/bin/python3

  3. Save the file and reload your Zsh configuration:

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    source ~/.zshrc

This will configure your shell to run /usr/bin/python3 when you type python.

Step 4: Verify the Fix

To ensure the fix worked, run:

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python --version

You should see the version number of Python 3. If you still encounter issues, double-check the path in your ~/.zshrc file and ensure it matches the location of your Python installation.

Additional Tips

  1. Use python3 Directly: If you prefer not to create an alias, you can always use python3 instead of python in your commands.

  2. Check Your PATH: Ensure that the directory containing the Python executable is included in your PATH environment variable. You can check this by running:

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    echo $PATH

    If necessary, update your PATH in ~/.zshrc by adding:

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    export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin

  3. Reinstall Xcode Command-Line Tools: In some cases, corrupted Xcode command-line tools can cause issues. Reinstall them by running:

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    xcode-select --install

    This step is especially useful if you encounter persistent errors.

Conclusion

The “zsh: command not found: python” error is a common issue on macOS, but it can be easily resolved by ensuring Python is installed and correctly configured in your shell. By following these steps, you should be able to use the python command without any issues. Happy coding!