(Old blog post, written: 2023-03-07)

Problem

When you use pip3 install [package] to install packages on MacOS, you might find that Python cannot find the package, which looks like this:

Solution

• You can use pip3 show [package_name] to check the installation path of the package.

• Then use python3 -m site to check the USER-SITE path

You’ll discover that the execution path and package path are different. The best solution is to not use pip3 install, but instead use:

python3 -m pip install [package_name] # This will install it under USER_SITE

Both python3 -m pip install and pip3 install are used to install Python packages, but there are slight differences in execution.

python3 -m pip install uses the built-in pip module of the Python interpreter for installation. Through the -m parameter specifying the module name pip, it ensures that the correct version of pip is used, avoiding version inconsistencies or packages being installed in the wrong location due to system environment issues.

On the other hand, pip3 install directly calls the pip tool installed on the system for installation. This method might cause installation errors or packages being installed in the wrong location due to system environment or incorrect PATH settings.

In conclusion, using python3 -m pip install is safer, ensuring that the correct version of pip is used, and avoiding version inconsistencies or packages being installed in the wrong location due to system environment issues.

Conclusion: On Mac, just use python3 -m pip install :)