OSX set up Python

OS X ships with Python installed, so the goal of this page is to make sure you can start a Terminal and run Python from the command line.

 Start up a Terminal. You can find the Terminal application through Spotlight, or navigate to Applications/Utilities/Terminal.

This Terminal contains something called a command prompt. This command prompt is another way of navigating your computer and running programs -- just textually instead of graphically. We are going to be running Python and Python scripts from this command prompt.  Test your Python install at the command prompt. Type

python

and hit enter. You should see something like Python 2.7.1 (r261:67515, Feb 11 2010, 00:51:29) [GCC 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5646)] on darwin Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>>


 * You just started Python! The  indicates that you are at a new type of prompt -- a Python prompt. The command prompt let's you navigate your computer and run programs, and the Python prompt lets you write and run Python code interactively.

 To exit the Python prompt, type
 * If the Python version number (2.7.1 in the example above) is not a number between 2.4 and 2.7 (ignoring the number after the second dot), tell a staff member.

exit

and press Enter. This will take you back to the OS X command prompt. 

Success!
You have tested your Python installation.