Installing Python 3.10+ on macOS

Shell Script: Clean Python 3.10+ Install on macOS

NOTE: This is for 3.10+, but the version can be for Python 3.11 or 3.12

Save the following as install_python_mac.sh and run it with:

chmod +x install_python_mac.sh
./install_python_mac.sh

install_python_mac.sh

#!/bin/bash

set -e  # Exit if any command fails

echo "🔍 Checking for Homebrew..."
if ! command -v brew &> /dev/null; then
  echo "📦 Homebrew not found. Installing Homebrew..."
  /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
else
  echo "✅ Homebrew is already installed."
fi

echo "🔄 Updating Homebrew..."
brew update

echo "🐍 Installing Python 3.10 via Homebrew..."
brew install python@3.10

# Don't link globally unless explicitly needed
echo "📍 Python installed at:"
brew --prefix python@3.10

PYTHON_BIN="$(brew --prefix python@3.10)/bin/python3.10"

echo "🔧 Installing pip and virtualenv..."
"$PYTHON_BIN" -m ensurepip --upgrade
"$PYTHON_BIN" -m pip install --upgrade pip virtualenv

echo "✅ Verifying installation..."
"$PYTHON_BIN" --version
"$PYTHON_BIN" -m pip --version

echo "🧪 Creating test virtual environment..."
"$PYTHON_BIN" -m venv testenv
source testenv/bin/activate
echo "🟢 Virtual environment activated. Python version:"
python --version
deactivate
rm -rf testenv

echo "🎉 Clean Python 3.10+ installation complete!"
echo "👉 Use '$PYTHON_BIN' directly or create virtual environments for safe development."

🔐 What This Script Does Not Do (on purpose)

• ❌ It does NOT override python3 or pip3 globally

  • Keeps your macOS system Python intact
  • Safer for beginners and long-term usage

• ❌ It does NOT force-link Homebrew Python

  • You can do that manually with:

    brew link --overwrite python@3.10 --force