`pip install psutil` is throwing `error: Unsupported architecture`. Any workarounds?

Question

I want to install psutil on my macOS Catalina, for which I am doing pip install psutil, but it doesn't succeed. Instead I get multiple error messages being thrown from Xcode saying that the architecture is not supported. Has anyone faced similar issues? Here's the entire output:

Collecting psutil
  Using cached psutil-5.7.2.tar.gz (460 kB)
Using legacy 'setup.py install' for psutil, since package 'wheel' is not installed.
Installing collected packages: psutil
    Running setup.py install for psutil ... error
    ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
     command: /Users/sanjibanbairagya/code/.envs/airbase_backend/bin/python3 -u -c 'import sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'/private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-install-a_22z6dq/psutil/setup.py'"'"'; __file__='"'"'/private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-install-a_22z6dq/psutil/setup.py'"'"';f=getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' install --record /private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-record-ca9qt6ec/install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --compile --install-headers /Users/sanjibanbairagya/code/.envs/airbase_backend/include/site/python3.8/psutil
         cwd: /private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-install-a_22z6dq/psutil/
    Complete output (141 lines):
    running install
    running build
    running build_py
    creating build
    creating build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8
    creating build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_pswindows.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_common.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/__init__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_psosx.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_psbsd.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_psaix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_pslinux.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_compat.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_psposix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    copying psutil/_pssunos.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    creating build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_contracts.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_connections.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/runner.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_unicode.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_misc.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_posix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_linux.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_sunos.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/__init__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_aix.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_process.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_bsd.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_system.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_osx.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_memleaks.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_windows.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/__main__.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    copying psutil/tests/test_testutils.py -> build/lib.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/tests
    running build_ext
    building 'psutil._psutil_osx' extension
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/arch
    creating build/temp.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/arch/osx
    xcrun -sdk macosx clang -Wno-unused-result -Wsign-compare -Wunreachable-code -fno-common -dynamic -DNDEBUG -g -fwrapv -O3 -Wall -iwithsysroot/System/Library/Frameworks/System.framework/PrivateHeaders -iwithsysroot/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/Headers -arch arm64 -arch x86_64 -DPSUTIL_POSIX=1 -DPSUTIL_SIZEOF_PID_T=4 -DPSUTIL_VERSION=572 -DPSUTIL_OSX=1 -I/Users/sanjibanbairagya/code/.envs/airbase_backend/include -I/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8 -c psutil/_psutil_common.c -o build/temp.macosx-10.14.6-x86_64-3.8/psutil/_psutil_common.o
    In file included from psutil/_psutil_common.c:9:
    In file included from /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8/Python.h:11:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/lib/clang/12.0.0/include/limits.h:21:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/limits.h:63:
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/cdefs.h:807:2: error: Unsupported architecture
    #error Unsupported architecture
     ^
    In file included from psutil/_psutil_common.c:9:
    In file included from /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8/Python.h:11:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/lib/clang/12.0.0/include/limits.h:21:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/limits.h:64:
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/machine/limits.h:8:2: error: architecture not supported
    #error architecture not supported
     ^
    In file included from psutil/_psutil_common.c:9:
    In file included from /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8/Python.h:25:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/stdio.h:64:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_stdio.h:71:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_types.h:27:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:33:
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/machine/_types.h:34:2: error: architecture not supported
    #error architecture not supported
     ^
    In file included from psutil/_psutil_common.c:9:
    In file included from /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8/Python.h:25:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/stdio.h:64:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_stdio.h:71:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_types.h:27:
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:55:9: error: unknown type name '__int64_t'
    typedef __int64_t       __darwin_blkcnt_t;      /* total blocks */
            ^
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:56:9: error: unknown type name '__int32_t'; did you mean '__int128_t'?
    typedef __int32_t       __darwin_blksize_t;     /* preferred block size */
            ^
    note: '__int128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:57:9: error: unknown type name '__int32_t'; did you mean '__int128_t'?
    typedef __int32_t       __darwin_dev_t;         /* dev_t */
            ^
    note: '__int128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:60:9: error: unknown type name '__uint32_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint32_t      __darwin_gid_t;         /* [???] process and group IDs */
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:61:9: error: unknown type name '__uint32_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint32_t      __darwin_id_t;          /* [XSI] pid_t, uid_t, or gid_t*/
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:62:9: error: unknown type name '__uint64_t'
    typedef __uint64_t      __darwin_ino64_t;       /* [???] Used for 64 bit inodes */
            ^
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:68:9: error: unknown type name '__darwin_natural_t'
    typedef __darwin_natural_t __darwin_mach_port_name_t; /* Used by mach */
            ^
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:70:9: error: unknown type name '__uint16_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint16_t      __darwin_mode_t;        /* [???] Some file attributes */
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:71:9: error: unknown type name '__int64_t'
    typedef __int64_t       __darwin_off_t;         /* [???] Used for file sizes */
            ^
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:72:9: error: unknown type name '__int32_t'; did you mean '__int128_t'?
    typedef __int32_t       __darwin_pid_t;         /* [???] process and group IDs */
            ^
    note: '__int128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:73:9: error: unknown type name '__uint32_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint32_t      __darwin_sigset_t;      /* [???] signal set */
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:74:9: error: unknown type name '__int32_t'; did you mean '__int128_t'?
    typedef __int32_t       __darwin_suseconds_t;   /* [???] microseconds */
            ^
    note: '__int128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:75:9: error: unknown type name '__uint32_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint32_t      __darwin_uid_t;         /* [???] user IDs */
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types.h:76:9: error: unknown type name '__uint32_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint32_t      __darwin_useconds_t;    /* [???] microseconds */
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    In file included from psutil/_psutil_common.c:9:
    In file included from /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8/Python.h:25:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/stdio.h:64:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_stdio.h:71:
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_types.h:43:9: error: unknown type name '__uint32_t'; did you mean '__uint128_t'?
    typedef __uint32_t      __darwin_wctype_t;
            ^
    note: '__uint128_t' declared here
    In file included from psutil/_psutil_common.c:9:
    In file included from /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.8/include/python3.8/Python.h:25:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/stdio.h:64:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/_stdio.h:75:
    In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/sys/_types/_va_list.h:31:
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/machine/types.h:37:2: error: architecture not supported
    #error architecture not supported
     ^
    fatal error: too many errors emitted, stopping now [-ferror-limit=]
    20 errors generated.
    error: command 'xcrun' failed with exit status 1
    ----------------------------------------
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1: /Users/sanjibanbairagya/code/.envs/airbase_backend/bin/python3 -u -c 'import sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'/private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-install-a_22z6dq/psutil/setup.py'"'"'; __file__='"'"'/private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-install-a_22z6dq/psutil/setup.py'"'"';f=getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' install --record /private/var/folders/53/072hdjvd63z1p57y512596rc0000gn/T/pip-record-ca9qt6ec/install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --compile --install-headers /Users/sanjibanbairagya/code/.envs/airbase_backend/include/site/python3.8/psutil Check the logs for full command output.

Also, here's the output of uname -a in case that's useful: Darwin Sanjibans-MacBook-Pro.local 19.6.0 Darwin Kernel Version 19.6.0: Mon Aug 31 22:12:52 PDT 2020; root:xnu-6153.141.2~1/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64

Is there a fix / workaround for the above issue? Any kind of help whatsoever would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I came across this answer that worked like a magic for me.

While I was hitting this when installing a different package (numphy, nltk, etc.) I was able to work around this by exporting an environment variable

export ARCHFLAGS="-arch x86_64"