How to make your python cli tool available across your computer

TLDR: Make tool executable and put it in your PATH

Say you have a python cli tool stored somewhere on your computer.
To make this assessable anywhere, that tool must be in one of the $PATH file paths. (print it with “echo $PATH”).

Option 1: Add the path to that CLI to your PATH

Option 2: Symlink the path to that CLI to your /usr/local/bin directory
“/usr/local/bin” is in your $PATH by default so putting a symlink in there lets you skip adding a new path to your PATH variable

Bash


# cli tool: /Users/yourname/todo_project/todo

# make it executable
chmod +x /Users/yourname/todo_project/todo

# symlink in /usr/local/bin
ln -s /Users/yourname/todo_project/todo /usr/local/bin/todo