Fix 'command not found: python' in Zsh on Linux

Diagnosis

The error 'zsh: command not found: python' indicates that the Python interpreter is not installed or not in your system's PATH. This is common on systems where Python is not pre-installed or when using a shell like Zsh that may not have the PATH configured correctly.

Solution

1. Check if Python is installed:

   • Run python3 --version to check if Python 3 is installed.
   • If Python 3 is installed, use python3 instead of python.

2. Install Python:

   • If Python is not installed, install it using your package manager:
     • For Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3
     • For Fedora: sudo dnf install python3
     • For Arch: sudo pacman -S python

3. Create a symlink if needed:

   • If you need the python command to point to Python 3, create a symlink:
     • sudo ln -s /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python

4. Adjust your PATH:

   • Ensure that the directory containing the Python executable is in your PATH:
     • Add export PATH="$PATH:/usr/bin" to your ~/.zshrc file if necessary.

Verification

• Verify the installation by running python --version or python3 --version to ensure the correct version is displayed.
• Restart your terminal or run source ~/.zshrc to apply changes.