Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-04

How to Fix: Error Installing Psycopg2 on MacOS 10.9.5

Error Installing Psycopg2 on MacOS 10.9.5

Quick Answer: To resolve the issue, update pg_config to a compatible version or install Homebrew and use its package manager to install psycopg2.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🛑 Root Causes of the Error
  2. 🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
  3. 💡 Conclusion

Error Installing Psycopg2 on MacOS 10.9.5

This error occurs when trying to install Psycopg2 on MacOS 10.9.5, and it can be frustrating for users who are not familiar with the process. The issue is often caused by a missing pg_config executable or an incorrect PATH environment variable.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • The primary reason for this error is that the pg_config executable is not found in the system's PATH. This can happen when the pg_config file is not installed on the system or when it is not located in a directory that is included in the PATH.
  • Another possible cause is that the Python installation does not include the pg_config executable, which is required for building and installing Psycopg2.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Installing Homebrew and Updating the PATH

  1. Step 1: First, install Homebrew by following these steps: * Open Terminal.app and run the command `ruby -v` to check if Homebrew is installed. * If it's not installed, download the installation script from https://brew.sh/ and follow the instructions. * Once installed, update the PATH environment variable by running the command `brew install postgresql`.
  2. Step 2: Next, update the PATH environment variable to include the directory containing pg_config. This can be done by adding the following line to your shell configuration file (usually `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc`): export PATH=${PATH}:/usr/local/opt/postgresql/bin Restart Terminal.app or run `source ~/.bashrc` to apply the changes.
  3. Step 3: After updating the PATH, try running `python setup.py build_ext --pg-config /usr/local/opt/postgresql/libexec/pg_config build ...` to see if the error persists.

Installing Homebrew and Specifying the Full Path

  1. Step 1: First, install Homebrew by following these steps: * Open Terminal.app and run the command `ruby -v` to check if Homebrew is installed. * If it's not installed, download the installation script from https://brew.sh/ and follow the instructions. * Once installed, update the PATH environment variable by running the command `brew install postgresql`.
  2. Step 2: Next, specify the full path to pg_config in your setup.py file. Add the following line to your `setup.cfg` file: [build_ext] pg-config = /usr/local/opt/postgresql/libexec/pg_config Restart Terminal.app or run `python setup.py build_ext ...` to see if the error persists.

💡 Conclusion

By installing Homebrew and updating the PATH, or by specifying the full path to pg_config, you should be able to resolve the Error Installing Psycopg2 on MacOS 10.9.5. If you continue to experience issues, try reinstalling Python and Psycopg2, or seek further assistance from a system administrator or IT professional.

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