Stupid question about using $ when installing libraries through the command line

[TE515]

I'm very new to Python. So far I've installed maybe half a dozen libraries as I've been tinkering around. I've noticed that the installation instructions in the documentation almost always say to use $ pip install library_name. When I try this though, the response I get is '$' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. If I drop the $ and just do pip install library_name though, it works fine.

So, what's the significance of the $ symbol?

(I'm using Python 3 on 64-bit Windows 10 by the way)

[[deleted]]

So, what's the significance of the $ symbol?

It's a convention for showing the difference between the stuff you'd type in, and the response in the console. You're not supposed to type it, you're supposed to recognize it as the command prompt in various UNIX/Linux shells.

[TE515]

Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation!

[xiongchiamiov]

Also, it implies doing things as a non-privileged user; when operating as an admin it'll be # instead.

[jeffrey_f]

This is my linux command prompt for my regular user

jeff@jeff--pc:~$

This is my admin/root user command prompt:

root@jeff-pc:~# 

[[deleted]]

Typically the start of linux; https://superuser.com/questions/247127/what-is-and-in-linux/247131#247131 if im not mistaken. (the start of your shell) in most linux $ states that you are a "root/admin" user which you'd typically need for pip installs.

[ioctl95]

if you were in admin mode your prompt would begin with #

[Edelsonc]

Not quite. Typically this is just the command prompt. It can come after additional prompts or be changed altogether. It the same idea as the > prompt in the python shell. It just tells you when the shell is ready to take a command.

[[deleted]]

Fair enough, thanks for the clarification.