However, you may encounter the “Zsh: command not found” error when trying to invoke Python, Python scripts, or Python related commands such as Jupyter.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to troubleshoot and fix this error when working in Zsh. Keep in mind that although we try to cover a wide array of causes and fixes, we may miss some or the cause of your error may not be outlined in this post.
We recommend reaching out to the community or using the available resources such as the documentation or other troubleshooting tools.
Requirements:
Before we dive into troubleshooting the cause and fix this error, make sure that you have the following:
Zsh
Ensure that Zsh is installed on your system. If you do not have it already installed, you can use your package manager to install it.
You can use the following command on Debian-based systems:
You can use the following command on Red Hat/Fedora:
You can use the following command on macOS (using Homebrew):
Python
Ensure that Python is installed on your system.
You can download the latest version of Python from the official Python website or install it using your system’s package manager.
Install Jupyter Notebook
Next, ensure that you have the Jupyter notebook installed on your machine.
Use Homebrew on macOS:
On other systems, install it with “pip” with the following command:
Correct Path Settings
The next and probably most important is to ensure that you have the correct entries in the PATH variable.
The system’s PATH variable should include the path to the directory where Jupyter is installed. This is crucial for Zsh to locate the Python executables.
From the resulting output, verify that the output includes the path to Python (e.g., /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin).
What Causes this Error?
In simple terms, the “Zsh command not found” error for Jupyter typically occurs when the shell cannot locate the Python binary.
Cause 1: Incorrect PATH Configuration
The most common reason for this error is an incorrect PATH configuration. Zsh needs to know where to find the Jupyter executable.
To resolve it, you can simply update the path in your Zsh configuration file.
Add the entry as follows:
Replace “/path/to/python” with the actual path to the Python binaries.
For example, if Python is installed in “/usr/bin”, the line should be:
Save the changes and reload the configuration.
Cause 2: Python Virtual Environment
If you are using the Python virtual environment such as virtualenv or venv, you might encounter issues with the PATH configuration within these environments.
To resolve this issue, ensure that you:
Activate the virtual environment.
Replace venv with the name of your virtual environment.
Conclusion
This post covered the process of troubleshooting and fixing the “Zsh Command Not Found” error for Python.
