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Mac OS X

Instructions for testing Python on Mac OS X

Test your Python Install

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
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.
>>>
note

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.

note

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.

  • To exit the Python prompt, type:

    exit()

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

Success!

You have tested your Python installation.