Installing software on your computer can be interesting. Sometimes you have to download a file and then install it yourself, or copy files to specific places on your computer.

However, package managers help make this process easier by allowing for the automation of installation of software.

There are different levels of package managers: for the operating system level, as well as one specifically for Python packages.

MacOSX

Homebrew is the standard for installing software on your Mac. This is the system that's used if you run a brew install command.

Linux

Depending on what family of operating system you run, you'll use apt-get (for Debian and Ubuntu) or yum (for Red Hat and CentOS).

Python

pip is the way you can install Python software. Running pip install uses the Python Packaging Index, also known as "PyPI". PyPI is a central repository for Python code. Many BeeWare projects can be installed using pip.