How to use Python 3.5 as default python interpreter

Question

I just installed Python 3.5 on my Mac OS Sierra and update my .bash_profile file:

MacBook:~ admin$ more .bash_profile

# Setting PATH for Python 3.5
# The original version is saved in .bash_profile.pysave
PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.5/bin:${PATH}"
export PATH

When I check if the PATH is correctly set, I have the below output:

MacBook:~ admin$ echo "$PATH"
/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.5/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/share/dotnet

However, when I run Python from a terminal, Python 2.7 is still executed:

MacBook:~ admin$ python --version Python 2.7.12
MacBook:~ admin$ which python /usr/local/bin/python

How can I use Python 3.5 by default?

I would advise against doing this. Make a symlink for python3, and leave the system default version alone. — wim
– wim, Commented Nov 9, 2016 at 20:19
Use virtualenv or something like that, so you don't mess with the default interpreter (you may even break your system if some tools depend on 2.7). — Paulo Scardine
– Paulo Scardine, Commented Nov 9, 2016 at 20:20
I double @PauloScardine . I'd rather install a virtualenv with Python 3.5 and make it load automatically when firing a terminal session — Eli Korvigo
– Eli Korvigo, Commented Nov 9, 2016 at 20:35
From experience don't do that. Did a similar thing on mac with Ruby ended up rolling back the whole machine with the time machine backup. If you do at least name it to something else then python. — Kimmo Hintikka
– Kimmo Hintikka, Commented Nov 9, 2016 at 20:36

Prune · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-09 20:30:52Z

3

I believe that your surprise comes from the shell searching /usr/bin before it tries your PATH. You really do not want to mess with that part, but you can work around it with a simple alias. Something like

alias python='/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.5/bin/python'

... should do the trick. However, I recommend that you choose a name other than python, such as pyth or py3.

answered Nov 9, 2016 at 20:30

Prune

78k14 gold badges63 silver badges83 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Prune Over a year ago

... which is handled in a previous comment.

juanpa.arrivillaga Over a year ago

True. But I think most popular *nix environments already come with a python3, usually pointing to a python 3.4 interpreter. It's been a while since I've used Mac OS, although, I might be returning to it soon.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to use Python 3.5 as default python interpreter

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Related