Python Package Management In Mac Os X

Every time I tried to install a new package for python on Mac OS X, I had this issue which these packages had different ways to setup with different package management tools. Speci

Solution 1:

1. pip and easy_install are for python libraries.
2. apt-get, brew, fink, port, etc. These tools are 'distro style' package management tools.

They have one area of overlap in terms of 'why do i need one of each?' and that is Library dependencies.

pip is the tool endorsed by the most python developers and the python packaging SIG going forward, so TLDR; use pip not easy_install

these tools also work with virtualenvs and virtualenvs are great. use them :)

You will however run into occasions where you need other libraries that python doesnt quite know what to do with when you try and build a python package with pip. It is these moments that make it necessary to have one of the other tools.