Fixing 'Pytest Command Not Found' Error in Terminal
Problem
When attempting to run pytest in your terminal, you encounter the pytest command not found
error.
How to Solve It
Workaround
Use the following command as a workaround
python3 -m pytest
Reason
The pytest command not found
error occurs because pytest is not included in the system’s PATH variable, making it inaccessible directly from the command line. Using python3 -m pytest
bypasses this issue by running pytest as a module within the Python environment.
Solution
- Identify the pytest path
Open a terminal and execute the following command to determine the path to pytest
which pytest
Note down the path displayed, such as “/Users/user/Library/Python/3.9/bin/pytest”
- Edit the Zsh Configuration File
Use a text editor like nano to edit your Zsh configuration file
nano ~/.zshrc
- Add pytest Path to PATH Variable
Within the ~/.zshrc file, add the pytest path to the PATH environment variable. Append the following line
export PATH=$PATH:/Users/user/Library/Python/3.9/bin
- Save and Exit
Save the changes to ~/.zshrc by pressing Ctrl + X, followed by Y to confirm, and then press Enter.
- Apply Changes
To apply the changes to the current terminal session, run
source ~/.zshrc
- Verify can access pytest
Confirm that pytest is now accessible by checking its version
pytest --version
Conclusion
Following these steps should resolve the pytest command not found
error and allow you to use pytest directly from the terminal without relying on the workaround.
Happy testing! 😎