Python virtualenv on Mac OS X

Installation (version 10.8):

1. Install XCode from apple store
2. Additionally install Xcode Command Line Tools (see screenshot)

3. Update ~/.bash_profile

export ARCHFLAGS="-arch x86_64"
export PATH=/usr/local/share/python:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
test -f ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc

4. Install homebrew (the missing package manager for OS X)

ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/mxcl/homebrew/go)"

Homebrew is a package management system that simplifies software installation on the Mac OS X operating system. It is a free/open source software project with goal to simplify installation of other free/open source software.
Homebrew installs packages to his own directory and then symlinks their files into /usr/local.
Run to ensure that installation passed without errors:

brew doctor

5. Install latest python

brew install python --with-brewed-openssl
brew install python3 --with-brewed-openssl

6. Update ~/.bashrc

# virtualenv should use distribute instead of legacy setuptools
export VIRTUALENV_DISTRIBUTE=true
# pip should only run if there is a virtualenv currently activated
export PIP_REQUIRE_VIRTUALENV=true
# cache pip-installed packages to avoid re-downloading
export PIP_DOWNLOAD_CACHE=$HOME/.pip/cache

7. Install virtualenv and other packages You need

pip install virtualenv

Links:

• http://hackercodex.com/guide/mac-osx-mountain-lion-10.8-configuration/
• http://hackercodex.com/guide/python-virtualenv-on-mac-osx-mountain-lion-10.8/
• http://mxcl.github.io/homebrew/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homebrew_%28package_management_software%29
• https://github.com/mxcl/homebrew/wiki/Homebrew-and-Python