End of support notice: On October 7th, 2026, AWS will discontinue support for AWS IoT Greengrass Version 1. After October 7th, 2026, you will no longer be able to access the AWS IoT Greengrass V1 resources. For more information, please visit [Migrate from AWS IoT Greengrass Version 1](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/greengrass/v2/developerguide/migrate-from-v1.html).
# Install the AWS IoT Device SDK for Python
Client devices can use the AWS IoT Device SDK for Python to communicate with AWS IoT and AWS IoT Greengrass core devices (using the Python programming language). For more information, including requirements, see the AWS IoT Device SDK for Python [ Readme](https://github.com/aws/aws-iot-device-sdk-python) on GitHub.
In this step, you install the SDK and get the `basicDiscovery.py` sample function used by the simulated client devices on your computer.
1. To install the SDK on your computer, with all required components, choose your operating system:
------
#### [ Windows ]
1. Open an [elevated command prompt](https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc947813(v=ws.10).aspx) and run the following command:
```
python --version
```
If no version information is returned or if the version number is less than 2.7 for Python 2 or less than 3.3 for Python 3, follow the instructions in [Downloading Python](https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Download) to install Python 2.7\$1 or Python 3.3\$1. For more information, see [Using Python on Windows](https://docs.python.org/3.6/using/windows.html).
1. Download the [AWS IoT Device SDK for Python](https://github.com/aws/aws-iot-device-sdk-python) as a `zip` file and extract it to an appropriate location on your computer.
Make a note of the file path to the extracted `aws-iot-device-sdk-python-master` folder that contains the `setup.py` file. In the next step, this file path is indicated by *path-to-SDK-folder*.
1. From the elevated command prompt, run the following:
```
cd path-to-SDK-folder
python setup.py install
```
------
#### [ macOS ]
1. Open a Terminal window and run the following command:
```
python --version
```
If no version information is returned or if the version number is less than 2.7 for Python 2 or less than 3.3 for Python 3, follow the instructions in [Downloading Python](https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Download) to install Python 2.7\$1 or Python 3.3\$1. For more information, see [Using Python on a Macintosh](https://docs.python.org/3/using/mac.html).
1. In the Terminal window, run the following commands to determine the OpenSSL version:
```
python
>>>import ssl
>>>print ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION
```
Make a note of the OpenSSL version value.
**Note**
If you're running Python 3, use **print(ssl.OPENSSL\$1VERSION)**.
To close the Python shell, run the following command:
```
>>>exit()
```
If the OpenSSL version is 1.0.1 or later, skip to [step c](#step-c-install-python-sdk). Otherwise, follow these steps:
1. From the Terminal window, run the following command to determine if the computer is using Simple Python Version Management:
```
which pyenv
```
If a file path is returned, then choose the **Using `pyenv`** tab. If nothing is returned, choose the **Not using `pyenv`** tab.
------
#### [ Using pyenv ]
1. See [Python Releases for Mac OS X](https://www.python.org/downloads/mac-osx/) (or similar) to determine the latest stable Python version. In the following example, this value is indicated by *latest-Python-version*.
1. From the Terminal window, run the following commands:
```
pyenv install latest-Python-version
pyenv global latest-Python-version
```
For example, if the latest version for Python 2 is 2.7.14, then these commands are:
```
pyenv install 2.7.14
pyenv global 2.7.14
```
1. Close and then reopen the Terminal window and then run the following commands:
```
python
>>>import ssl
>>>print ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION
```
The OpenSSL version should be at least 1.0.1. If the version is less than 1.0.1, then the update failed. Check the Python version value used in the **pyenv install** and **pyenv global** commands and try again.
1. Run the following command to exit the Python shell:
```
exit()
```
------
#### [ Not using pyenv ]
1. From a Terminal window, run the following command to determine if [brew](https://brew.sh/) is installed:
```
which brew
```
If a file path is not returned, install `brew` as follows:
```
/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
```
**Note**
Follow the installation prompts. The download for the Xcode command line tools can take some time.
1. Run the following commands:
```
brew update
brew install openssl
brew install python@2
```
The AWS IoT Device SDK for Python requires OpenSSL version 1.0.1 (or later) compiled with the Python executable. The **brew install python** command installs a `python2` executable that meets this requirement. The `python2` executable is installed in the `/usr/local/bin` directory, which should be part of the `PATH` environment variable. To confirm, run the following command:
```
python2 --version
```
If `python2` version information is provided, skip to the next step. Otherwise, permanently add the `/usr/local/bin` path to your `PATH` environment variable by appending the following line to your shell profile:
```
export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"
```
For example, if you're using `.bash_profile` or do not yet have a shell profile, run the following command from a Terminal window:
```
echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
```
Next, [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_(command)) your shell profile and confirm that `python2 --version` provides version information. For example, if you're using `.bash_profile`, run the following commands:
```
source ~/.bash_profile
python2 --version
```
`python2` version information should be returned.
1. Append the following line to your shell profile:
```
alias python="python2"
```
For example, if you're using `.bash_profile` or do not yet have a shell profile, run the following command:
```
echo 'alias python="python2"' >> ~/.bash_profile
```
1. Next, [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_(command)) your shell profile. For example, if you're using `.bash_profile`, run the following command:
```
source ~/.bash_profile
```
Invoking the **python** command runs the Python executable that contains the required OpenSSL version (`python2`) .
1. Run the following commands:
```
python
import ssl
print ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION
```
The OpenSSL version should be 1.0.1 or later.
1. To exit the Python shell, run the following command:
```
exit()
```
------
1. Run the following commands to install the AWS IoT Device SDK for Python:
```
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/aws/aws-iot-device-sdk-python.git
cd aws-iot-device-sdk-python
sudo python setup.py install
```
------
#### [ UNIX-like system ]
1. From a terminal window, run the following command:
```
python --version
```
If no version information is returned or if the version number is less than 2.7 for Python 2 or less than 3.3 for Python 3, follow the instructions in [Downloading Python](https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Download) to install Python 2.7\$1 or Python 3.3\$1. For more information, see [Using Python on Unix platforms](https://docs.python.org/3.6/using/unix.html).
1. In the terminal, run the following commands to determine the OpenSSL version:
```
python
>>>import ssl
>>>print ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION
```
Make a note of the OpenSSL version value.
**Note**
If you're running Python 3, use **print(ssl.OPENSSL\$1VERSION)**.
To close the Python shell, run the following command:
```
exit()
```
If the OpenSSL version is 1.0.1 or later, skip to the next step. Otherwise, run the command(s) to update OpenSSL for your distribution (for example, `sudo yum update openssl`, `sudo apt-get update`, and so on).
Confirm that the OpenSSL version is 1.0.1 or later by running the following commands:
```
python
>>>import ssl
>>>print ssl.OPENSSL_VERSION
>>>exit()
```
1. Run the following commands to install the AWS IoT Device SDK for Python:
```
cd ~
git clone https://github.com/aws/aws-iot-device-sdk-python.git
cd aws-iot-device-sdk-python
sudo python setup.py install
```
------
1. After the AWS IoT Device SDK for Python is installed, navigate to the `samples` folder and open the `greengrass` folder.
For this tutorial, you copy the `basicDiscovery.py` sample function, which uses the certificates and keys that you downloaded in [Create client devices in an AWS IoT Greengrass group](device-group.md).
1. Copy `basicDiscovery.py` to the folder that contains the HelloWorld\$1Publisher and HelloWorld\$1Subscriber device certificates and keys.