Don't Use the System Python

macOS ships with its own Python, but it is older and reserved for system tools. Always install your own.

Option 1 — Homebrew (Recommended)

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
brew install python

Verify:

python3 --version
pip3 --version

Option 2 — Official Installer

Download from python.org/downloads. Works well if you prefer a GUI installer.

Option 3 — pyenv (Multiple Versions)

brew install pyenv
pyenv install 3.12.7
pyenv global 3.12.7

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