title: What Does the python -v Command Do
body: <p>I recently reinstalled my macOS and I wanted to check the version of Python. I typed <code>python -v</code> into the terminal and I am not sure what this did? I am new to the terminal and python programming. Did I install new software on accident?</p>
  
  <pre><code>Last login: Sun May 14 15:02:37 on ttys000
  Matthews-MacBook-Pro:~ matthewkol$ python -v
  # installing zipimport hook
  import zipimport # builtin
  # installed zipimport hook
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site.py
  import site # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py
  import os # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.pyc
  import errno # builtin
  import posix # builtin
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/posixpath.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/posixpath.py
  import posixpath # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/posixpath.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/stat.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/stat.py
  import stat # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/stat.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/genericpath.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/genericpath.py
  import genericpath # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/genericpath.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/warnings.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/warnings.py
  import warnings # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/warnings.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/linecache.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/linecache.py
  import linecache # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/linecache.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/types.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/types.py
  import types # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/types.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/UserDict.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/UserDict.py
  import UserDict # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/UserDict.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_abcoll.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_abcoll.py
  import _abcoll # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_abcoll.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/abc.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/abc.py
  import abc # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/abc.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_weakrefset.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_weakrefset.py
  import _weakrefset # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_weakrefset.pyc
  import _weakref # builtin
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/copy_reg.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/copy_reg.py
  import copy_reg # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/copy_reg.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/traceback.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/traceback.py
  import traceback # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/traceback.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sysconfig.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sysconfig.py
  import sysconfig # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sysconfig.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/re.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/re.py
  import re # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/re.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_compile.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_compile.py
  import sre_compile # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_compile.pyc
  import _sre # builtin
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_parse.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_parse.py
  import sre_parse # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_parse.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_constants.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_constants.py
  import sre_constants # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/sre_constants.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_locale.so", 2);
  import _locale # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_locale.so
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_sysconfigdata.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_sysconfigdata.py
  import _sysconfigdata # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_sysconfigdata.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_osx_support.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_osx_support.py
  import _osx_support # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_osx_support.pyc
  import encodings # directory /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/__init__.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/__init__.py
  import encodings # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/__init__.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/codecs.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/codecs.py
  import codecs # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/codecs.pyc
  import _codecs # builtin
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/aliases.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/aliases.py
  import encodings.aliases # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/aliases.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/utf_8.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/utf_8.py
  import encodings.utf_8 # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/encodings/utf_8.pyc
  Python 2.7.10 (default, Feb  6 2017, 23:53:20) 
  [GCC 4.2.1 Compatible Apple LLVM 8.0.0 (clang-800.0.34)] on darwin
  Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/readline.so", 2);
  import readline # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/readline.so
  &gt;&gt;&gt; help
  Type help() for interactive help, or help(object) for help about object.
  &gt;&gt;&gt; help(object)
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pydoc.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pydoc.py
  import pydoc # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pydoc.pyc
  import imp # builtin
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/inspect.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/inspect.py
  import inspect # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/inspect.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/string.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/string.py
  import string # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/string.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/strop.so", 2);
  import strop # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/strop.so
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/dis.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/dis.py
  import dis # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/dis.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/opcode.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/opcode.py
  import opcode # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/opcode.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/tokenize.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/tokenize.py
  import tokenize # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/tokenize.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/itertools.so", 2);
  import itertools # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/itertools.so
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/token.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/token.py
  import token # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/token.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/operator.so", 2);
  import operator # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/operator.so
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/collections.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/collections.py
  import collections # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/collections.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_collections.so", 2);
  import _collections # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_collections.so
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/keyword.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/keyword.py
  import keyword # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/keyword.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/heapq.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/heapq.py
  import heapq # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/heapq.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_heapq.so", 2);
  import _heapq # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_heapq.so
  import thread # builtin
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pkgutil.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pkgutil.py
  import pkgutil # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pkgutil.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/repr.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/repr.py
  import repr # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/repr.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/locale.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/locale.py
  import locale # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/locale.pyc
  # /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/functools.pyc matches /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/functools.py
  import functools # precompiled from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/functools.pyc
  dlopen("/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_functools.so", 2);
  import _functools # dynamically loaded from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/_functools.so
  
  &gt;&gt;&gt; python -V
  Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "&lt;stdin&gt;", line 1, in &lt;module&gt;
  NameError: name 'python' is not defined
  &gt;&gt;&gt; exit
  Use exit() or Ctrl-D (i.e. EOF) to exit
  &gt;&gt;&gt; ^D
  # clear __builtin__._
  # clear sys.path
  # clear sys.argv
  # clear sys.ps1
  # clear sys.ps2
  # clear sys.exitfunc
  # clear sys.exc_type
  # clear sys.exc_value
  # clear sys.exc_traceback
  # clear sys.last_type
  # clear sys.last_value
  # clear sys.last_traceback
  # clear sys.path_hooks
  # clear sys.path_importer_cache
  # clear sys.meta_path
  # clear sys.flags
  # clear sys.float_info
  # restore sys.stdin
  # restore sys.stdout
  # restore sys.stderr
  # cleanup __main__
  # cleanup[1] _collections
  # cleanup[1] site
  # cleanup[1] sysconfig
  # cleanup[1] _heapq
  # cleanup[1] abc
  # cleanup[1] _weakrefset
  # cleanup[1] sre_constants
  # cleanup[1] collections
  # cleanup[1] _codecs
  # cleanup[1] opcode
  # cleanup[1] _warnings
  # cleanup[1] _sysconfigdata
  # cleanup[1] repr
  # cleanup[1] _osx_support
  # cleanup[1] readline
  # cleanup[1] strop
  # cleanup[1] _functools
  # cleanup[1] thread
  # cleanup[1] keyword
  # cleanup[1] signal
  # cleanup[1] traceback
  # cleanup[1] pydoc
  # cleanup[1] itertools
  # cleanup[1] posix
  # cleanup[1] exceptions
  # cleanup[1] _weakref
  # cleanup[1] token
  # cleanup[1] heapq
  # cleanup[1] locale
  # cleanup[1] functools
  # cleanup[1] encodings
  # cleanup[1] operator
  # cleanup[1] pkgutil
  # cleanup[1] zipimport
  # cleanup[1] inspect
  # cleanup[1] encodings.utf_8
  # cleanup[1] imp
  # cleanup[1] codecs
  # cleanup[1] encodings.aliases
  # cleanup[1] dis
  # cleanup[1] tokenize
  # cleanup[1] string
  # cleanup[1] re
  # cleanup[1] _locale
  # cleanup[1] sre_compile
  # cleanup[1] _sre
  # cleanup[1] sre_parse
  # cleanup[2] copy_reg
  # cleanup[2] posixpath
  # cleanup[2] errno
  # cleanup[2] _abcoll
  # cleanup[2] types
  # cleanup[2] genericpath
  # cleanup[2] stat
  # cleanup[2] warnings
  # cleanup[2] UserDict
  # cleanup[2] os.path
  # cleanup[2] linecache
  # cleanup[2] os
  # cleanup sys
  # cleanup __builtin__
  # cleanup ints: 21 unfreed ints
  # cleanup floats
  Matthews-MacBook-Pro:~ matthewkol$ 
  </code></pre>