Installing the Chilkat2 Python Module on macOS

How to add the Chilkat2 module to a Python installation on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), plus the checks that prevent the common version, architecture, and Gatekeeper errors.

Examples: Chilkat2 Python Examples · Documentation: Chilkat2 Python Reference

Easiest install: pip For Python 3.6 or later, you don't need this page — just install with pip:

pip3 install chilkat2

The steps below are for a manual install from the downloaded .tar.gz.

The download must match your Python A compiled Python module only imports into a Python that matches it:

Python version — e.g. the 3.14 download for Python 3.14.
Architecture — arm64 for Apple Silicon, x86_64 for Intel. Note: on Apple Silicon a Python can run under Rosetta as x86_64 — match the download to what Python actually reports (Step 3), not to the Mac's chip.

The included installChilkat.py verifies version, OS, and architecture for you.

Download & unpack

Get the build for your Mac from the Chilkat2 macOS Python Downloads, then unpack:
```
tar xzf chilkat2-python-<version>-<arch>-macosx.tar.gz
```
If the browser already decompressed it to a .tar, use tar xf chilkat2-python-<version>-<arch>-macosx.tar instead.

What's in the download

chilkat2-python-<version>-<arch>-macosx/
├─ chilkat2.so             the compiled Chilkat2 module
├─ installChilkat.py       copies chilkat2.so into site-packages
├─ testChilkat.py          verifies the install
├─ license.pdf
├─ pcre2-license.pdf
├─ quickjs-license.pdf
├─ THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.txt
├─ Darwin                  empty marker: target operating system (macOS)
├─ x86_64                  empty marker: target architecture
└─ 3.14                    empty marker: target Python version

The three empty marker files identify the OS, architecture, and Python version this download is built for. installChilkat.py reads them to confirm the download matches your Python before installing.

Check your Python version and architecture
```
python3 --version
python3 -c "import platform; print(platform.machine())"   # arm64 or x86_64
```
Match the version to the download's marker (e.g. 3.14) and the architecture to platform.machine().

With multiple Pythons or a virtual environment, run the install and test with the exact interpreter you'll use.
Install into site-packages

From the unpacked directory:
```
python3 installChilkat.py            # per-user site-packages
sudo python3 installChilkat.py -g    # global site-packages
```
The script prints the detected Python version, system, and processor, refuses to install if the download doesn't match, then copies chilkat2.so into site-packages.

Verify with testChilkat.py

python3 testChilkat.py

It imports chilkat2 and prints the version of several classes:

Zip: 11.5.0
IMAP: 11.5.0
FTP: 11.5.0
POP3/SMTP: 11.5.0
... (one line per class)

Use Chilkat in your scripts

Import chilkat2 and unlock once at startup (any string starts the 30-day trial; use your license code after purchase):

import chilkat2

glob = chilkat2.Global()
success = glob.UnlockBundle("Anything for 30-day trial")
if success != True:
    print(glob.LastErrorText)

# ... use any Chilkat class, e.g. chilkat2.Http(), chilkat2.JsonObject(), ...

macOS Gatekeeper: clear the quarantine

A downloaded .so carries a quarantine attribute that macOS may block, so the import fails with a code-signature / “cannot be opened” error. Clear it from the unpacked folder before installing:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine chilkat2-python-<version>-<arch>-macosx

Common errors

“This Python version does not match the downloaded Chilkat module”

installChilkat.py found that your Python version differs from the download (the version marker file). Download the build matching python3 --version.

“ImportError” when importing chilkat2

Usually an architecture mismatch — an arm64 module under an x86_64 (Rosetta) Python, or the reverse. Re-check Step 3 with platform.machine() and use the matching download. If macOS blocks the file with a code-signature error, clear the Gatekeeper quarantine (above).

“ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'chilkat2'”

The module was installed into a different Python (or outside your virtual environment) than the one running your script. Install and run with the same interpreter, or use pip3 install chilkat2.