Instructions for testing Python on Mac OS X
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.
You have tested your Python installation.