Updating Python on Mac

Question

The default Python on OS X shouldn't be messed with as it's used by the OS itself. If your default is 2.6.1 then you must have Snow Leopard.

If you just install from the standard 3.1 disk image then you can invoke it using python3.1 from the terminal (you don't have to do any extra steps for this to work) and you can leave the plain python as 2.6.1.

Both python 2x and 3x can stay installed in a MAC. Mac comes with python 2x version. To check the default python version in your MAC, open the terminal and type-

python --version

However to check, if you have already installed any of python 3x versions, you need to type

python3 --version

If you don't then go ahead and install it with the installer. Go the the python's official site(https://www.python.org/downloads/), download the latest version

and install it.

Now restart the terminal and check again with both commands-

Hope this helps.

using Homebrew just do:

brew install python3 && cp /usr/local/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python

done :)

This article helped me to make the right choices eventually since mac 10.14.6 by default came with python 2.7* and I had to upgrade to 3.7.*

brew install python3
brew update && brew upgrade python
alias python=/usr/local/bin/python3

Referred The right and wrong way to set Python 3 as default on a Mac article

1. brew install python --> install the latest Python.
2. ls -l /usr/local/bin/python* --> List all Python versions installed on your system.
3. ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/python[your-latest-version-just-installed] /usr/local/bin/python --> Change default Python version to the latest version.

• E.g: ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/python3.9 /usr/local/bin/python

4. Restart terminal.
5. python --version --> Check Python version default again.

Ref: https://dev.to/malwarebo/how-to-set-python3-as-a-default-python-version-on-mac-4jjf