Error: externally-managed-environment on python package installation

#python #tutorial

Symptoms

I attempted to install a Python package using this command.

pip3 install [package-name]

And then this error was thrown.

Two types of Python are used in a single MacOS machine - User-specific and System-wide packages.
System-wide packages are shared by all the users, and even system package managers like apt. Installing user-specific packages as system-wide packages is very dangerous because it can conflict with system package managers if they run some Python scripts.

Create ~/.config/pip/pip.conf and type this script.

[install]
break-system-packages = true
user = true

Install pipenv to manage dependencies per project. The pip.conf file lets the command run with --break-system-packages and --user options. Otherwise, pipenv can't install some dependencies since the python packages require a certain python version.
```
pip3 install pipenv
which python3.13
pipenv --python /opt/homebrew/bin/python3.13(directory of python)
```
If you're using zsh, add the directory of python to the PATH. Make sure the version is set explictly! Otherwise, pipenv command won't be found.
```
export PATH="$HOME/Library/Python/3.13/bin:$PATH" # This loads 
python
```
Run a file with the all project dependencies in a virtual environment
```
pipenv run python [file-name] .py
```
Otherwise, you could run up a virtual environment instance and run the python file.
```
pipenv shell
python [file-name].py
```