How to Setup Python on Mac Without Homebrew

Posted on April 9, 2025 from Kalama, Washington

This post shows you how to setup Python on a Mac without using Homebrew.

This includes installing the following:

  • A specific version of Python. In this case, Python 3.12.
  • pip for package management
  • Poetry for dependency management

Uninstall Homebrew Python

If you have Homebrew installed and previously installed Python or a package that depends on Python, you may need to uninstall it first. This is important because Homebrew's Python installation can conflict with the system Python.

brew uninstall [email protected]

What should be left is the default Python that comes with macOS (version 3.9). You can confirm this by running:

python3 --version

Install Python

In this case, we'll be installing Python 3.12 but you may opt for a different version.

Download and install the pkg from https://www.python.org/downloads/macos/.

Install certificates

After installing Python, you may need to install the certificates. This is important for SSL connections and other security features.

cd /Applications/Python\ 3.12/
./Install\ Certificates.command

Upgrade pip

After installing Python, you may need to upgrade pip to the latest version. This is important for package management

pip3 install --upgrade pip

Install Poetry

Poetry is a dependency management tool for Python. It allows you to manage your project's dependencies in a simple and consistent way.

Install Poetry using the following command:

curl -sSL https://install.python-poetry.org | python3 -

By default, Poetry will be installed in ~/Library/Application Support/pypoetry and added to the PATH (~/.local/bin).

You may need to create a symbolic link so Poetry can find the python executable:

cd /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/bin
ln -s python3 python

Verify the Poetry installation:

poetry --version

Initialize a new Poetry project

After installing Poetry, you can create a new project using the following command:

poetry init

Adding dependencies

To add a dependency to your project, use the following command:

poetry add package_name