How to set alias for python3 on OSX

Question

I'm trying to set an alias for python3 so I can run it with python.

Here's my current .bash_profile

# Setting PATH for Python 3.6
# The original version is saved in .bash_profile.pysave
PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/bin:${PATH}"
export PATH
alias python=“python3”
alias 3=“python3”
alias py=“python3”

When I run python I get -bash: “python3”: command not found.

I can run python3 and it will correctly open py 3.X.X (3.6.1 at time of posting).

There are plenty of half-answers over the years on here & SO, and a few comments mentioning my issue, but hopefully this can be a resource for a complete answer. Or maybe one of you is better at googling than I am and it can be a duplicate question!

Answer 1

When I run python I get -bash: “python3”: command not found

Why are you using “ and ” (smart quotes) instead of ' (normal single quotes)?

Try the following (corrected) .bash_profile

# Setting PATH for Python 3.6
# The original version is saved in .bash_profile.pysave
PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/bin:${PATH}"
export PATH
alias python='python3'
alias 3='python3'
alias py='python3'

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Further Reading

• An A-Z Index of the Bash command line for Linux - An excellent reference for all things Bash command line related.
• alias - Create an alias, aliases allow a string to be substituted for a word when it is used as the first word of a simple command.