IPython command not found Terminal OSX. Pip installed

Question

Using Python 2.7 installed via homebrew. I then used pip to install IPython. So, IPython seems to be installed under:

/usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/

I think this is true because there is a IPython directory and ipython egg.

However, when I type ipython in the terminal I get:

-bash: ipython: command not found

I do not understand why this ONLY happens with IPython and not with python? Also, how do I fix this? What path should I add in .bashrc? And how should I add?

Currently, my .bashrc reads:

PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin/

Thanks!

Is it actually running the python you installed, as it already had python before you installed another version of it. — demure, May 25 '13 at 03:04
Find out where the `ipython` script was installed, and if necessary symlink it to somewhere on your PATH. — Thomas K, May 25 '13 at 17:08
What is it that I look for "ipython installation"? Do I look for .app or .egg? And what command do I use to symlink? Thanks! — Rohit, May 25 '13 at 19:13
From bash you have to start ipython with the following command: ipython-2.7 (and NOT just with ipython) — Stefan Gruenwald, Apr 27 '14 at 04:29
For quick reference to answer below by Luna Kong: specify a python module (such as IPython) using the -m parameter: 'python -m IPython'. — mikeborgh, Dec 27 '17 at 22:44

score 26 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 22 '14 at 21:14

26

I had this issue too, the following worked for me and seems like a clean simple solution:

pip uninstall ipython

pip install ipython

I'm running mavericks and latest pip

answered Mar 22 '14 at 21:14

robertwest

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Thanks for your answer. I just installed Anaconda and got everything to work. – Rohit Mar 24 '14 at 15:38
Using `pip install -U --user --force ipython` worked through. – hlin117 Feb 26 '16 at 00:08
1

For some users, doing just `pip install ipython` might give an `access denied` error. In that case, you need: `sudo pip install ipython` – Gravity M Oct 07 '14 at 07:26

score 22 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 03 '17 at 13:18

22

Check IPython whether is installed by below command:

$python -m IPython

If you got this result as above picture.

Then run this command on terminal and add into ~/.bash_profile file

$alias ipython='python -m IPython'

So try run "ipython" again on terminal. It works fine for me.

Reference topics:

ipython on MacOS 10.10 - command not found

iPython installed but not found

answered Oct 03 '17 at 13:18

Luna Kong

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just had similar issue when updating from Mac OSX Mojave to Catalina and changing to zsh as a standard shell, even in the bash version of it the ipython command was broken, adding alias ipython="python3 -m IPython" to ~/.zshrc fixes it – braulio Oct 05 '20 at 14:20

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered May 25 '13 at 23:31

4

Create .pydistutils.cfg in your homedir with following content:

[global]
verbose=1

[install]
install-scripts=$HOME/bin

[easy_install]
install-scripts=$HOME/bin

And then: pip install -U --user ipython. Of course $HOME/bin must be in your $PATH. Packages are going to be installed in $HOME/Library/Python, so user only, not system wide.

answered May 25 '13 at 23:31

nudzo

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Hmm....when I do the pip command as you suggested I get: no such option: --user #I added my account name as user, obviously! Any ideas why the command fails? – Rohit May 26 '13 at 02:06
`pip` needs to be installed into homedir too. Run `easy_install --user pip`, to got one in your `$HOME/bin` and then --user option will be enabled. – nudzo May 26 '13 at 09:48
Wait, when I try EXACTLY the command you suggested I have the following: pip install -U --user ipython Requirement already up-to-date: ipython in /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages Cleaning up... – Rohit May 26 '13 at 13:35
OK, I did the following: easy_install --user pip Searching for pip Best match: pip 1.3.1 Processing pip-1.3.1-py2.7.egg Adding pip 1.3.1 to easy-install.pth file Installing pip script to /Users/XXXX/bin Installing pip-2.7 script to /Users/XXXX/bin where XXXX is the username. I also have the .pydistutils.cfg file in my home directory and still ipython command is not recognized. – Rohit May 26 '13 at 13:39
1

The run again: `pip install -U --user --force ipython`, to get it reinstalled and scripts put in `$HOME/bin`. – nudzo May 26 '13 at 18:50
Yay! That works. Thanks SO MUCH for your patience and perseverance. – Rohit May 26 '13 at 23:53
Found this necessary again on El Capitan; thanks for the detailed instructions. – tzaman Jul 05 '16 at 12:42

score 4 · Answer 4 · edited Oct 24 '18 at 03:28

4

Try run brew install ipython:

then run xcode-select --install；

run brew install git,

If you got this result as above picture. Refer to enter link description here

At last, run brew install ipython

edited Oct 24 '18 at 03:28

Stephen Rauch

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answered Oct 24 '18 at 03:08

excited-tiger

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score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 12 '19 at 03:32

2

I use pip3 install ipython is OK.

maybe ipython rely on python3

answered Dec 12 '19 at 03:32

anddju

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1

score 0 · Answer 6 · edited Jan 15 '20 at 03:35

0

After trying to a number of solutions like above with out joy, when I restarted my terminal, Ipython command launched. Don't forgot to restart your terminal after all the fiddling!

P.S. I think the brew install Ipython did it ... but can't be sure.

edited Jan 15 '20 at 03:35

entpnerd

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answered Jan 14 '20 at 21:29

Always In

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Jan 08 '21 at 08:30

0

For me the only thing that helped was: python -m pip install --upgrade pip

Upgrading pip did the work and all the installations started working properly! Give it a try.

answered Jan 08 '21 at 08:30

Whitebear

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Artem R U Sure? – Mike.R Feb 04 '21 at 08:23

Alexis Perrier · Answer 8 · 2023-04-19T08:22:46.387

Another way is to find the ipython launcher script that was created when installing ipython via pip and use it.

Find where ipython is by running:

find / -name ipython

You may have to add sudo: sudo find / -name ipython

In my case (macOS: Ventura 3.13, python 3.11 ) this returned:

/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.11/bin/ipython

Verify that this ipython script works as expected.

Run the whole path in the terminal: /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.11/bin/ipython. You should see the ipython console prompt

Next, you need to tell your mac that the command ipython means in fact /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.11/bin/ipython. You do that by creating a symbolic link in /usr/local/bin/ to the real location of ipython with ln -s <source file> <target file>.

In the terminal run:

ln -s /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.11/bin/ipython /usr/local/bin/ipython

And ipython now starts an ipython session

IPython command not found Terminal OSX. Pip installed

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