realpython / realpython/python-guide
Describing making Python 3 the default `python` under Homebrew
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Description
So, about this section in the OS X installation guides:
That opt/python/libexec behavior is not actually about 10.12 Sierra vs. newer versions of macOS. Homebrew does not make the unqualified python command be Python 3 on any version of macOS. If this behavior was different in the past, that was due to a different Homebrew version, not a different macOS version. (Homebrew's policy is to not shadow system-provided components in a way that might break things.)
Maybe this section should be updated to something like:
Once you've installed Homebrew, insert the Homebrew directory at the top
of your :envvar:`PATH` environment variable if you are running 10.12 Sierra or older.
You can do this by adding the following line at the bottom of your :file:`~/.profile` file:
.. code-block:: console
export PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:$PATH"
Now, we can install Python 3:
.. code-block:: console
$ brew install python
Then, to make your default `python` command point to Python 3:
.. code-block:: console
export PATH="/usr/local/opt/python/libexec/bin:$PATH"
And the section in the Python 2 installation about doing PATH="/usr/local/opt/python@2/libexec/bin:$PATH" is no longer necessary: the Homebrew python@2 formula now provides a python command that is in /usr/local/bin by default.
Might also want to provide a link to Homebrew's Homebrew and Python page, which goes in to more detail.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Search the OS X installation guides for the Homebrew and Python 3 section shown in the issue, then read Homebrew's Homebrew and Python page for current behavior. Update the Python 3 and Python 2 instructions to reflect PATH handling and link to the Homebrew documentation; done means the macOS-version distinction and default python command behavior are accurate.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- documentation
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Estimated time
- 1-3 hours
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100