How do I set pip as pip3 on a Mac?

On macOS, the command pip sometimes defaults to Python 2, while pip3 is used for Python 3. If you want pip to refer to Python 3's package installer, here's how you can achieve it:

1. Check Your Python Versions:

- First, verify which Python versions are installed on your Mac. You can do this by running python --version and python3 --version in your terminal. Similarly, check pip --version and pip3 --version to see which versions they point to.

2. Using an Alias:

- One of the easiest ways is to create an alias in your shell configuration file (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc, .bash_profile, etc.).

- Open your shell configuration file using a text editor. For example, if you're using Zsh:

nano ~/.zshrc

- Add the following line to the file:

alias pip=pip3

- Save the file and exit the editor. Then, reload your shell config:

source ~/.zshrc (or source ~/.bashrc, source ~/.bash_profile etc.)

- Now, when you type pip, it will execute pip3.

3. Using symbolic link (Symlink):

- Alternatively, you can create a symbolic link (symlink) if you prefer. It's a bit more technical but can achieve the same result. First, you need to know the exact location of your pip3 executable. You can find this by using the which pip3 command:

which pip3

- Suppose the location is something like /usr/local/bin/pip3. Then you can remove the existing pip if any and create a symlink using the below commands:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/pip

sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/pip3 /usr/local/bin/pip

- This command creates a link from /usr/local/bin/pip to /usr/local/bin/pip3.

4. Consider Using a Virtual Environment:

- It’s highly recommended to use Python virtual environments (using venv or virtualenv) to isolate your project dependencies and avoid conflicts. When you create a virtual environment, pip within that environment will be configured for that specific Python version.

5. Verify the Changes:

- After making the changes, always check pip --version again to ensure that it is now pointing to your Python 3 pip. You can also test by doing a dummy install such as pip install --user some_dummy_package and if it installs, you're good to go.

Note: Using aliases is often safer and easier than manipulating system symlinks. Always be careful when using sudo commands, especially when modifying your system paths. Virtual environments remain the most recommended practice for managing python packages on a project level.

Learn more about this