Install pynb and run your first Python notebook.

Prerequisites

• macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later
• Apple Silicon Mac

Installation

Install via Homebrew:

brew install sidequery/tap/pynb

Or download the latest .zip from the releases page.

No Python Required

pynb uses uv to manage Python environments automatically. You don't need Python installed on your machine. On first launch, pynb downloads uv (if not already present), installs the right Python version, and sets up a virtual environment. All of this happens in the background.

If you already have uv installed, pynb will use your existing installation. You can switch Python versions at any time without manual configuration.

Opening a Notebook

Double-click any .py or .ipynb file to open it in pynb, or use File > Open from the menu bar.

pynb supports two notebook formats:

• Percent format (.py): Plain Python files where cells are separated by # %% comments. These diff cleanly in git and work in any text editor.
• Jupyter format (.ipynb): Standard Jupyter notebook files. Open your existing notebooks without conversion.

To create a new notebook, use File > New or Cmd+N.

Cell Types

Each notebook is made up of cells. pynb supports three types:

Type	Purpose
Python	Execute Python code with rich output rendering
SQL	Run SQL queries via DuckDB, with results available as DataFrames
Markdown	Write documentation with live preview

Add a new cell using the + button between cells, or the toolbar at the top of the notebook.

Running Cells

• Cmd+Enter runs the current cell and stays on it
• Shift+Enter runs the current cell and moves to the next one
• Use the Run All button in the toolbar to execute every cell in order

Output appears directly below each cell. Python cells render rich output including charts, tables, images, HTML, and LaTeX. SQL cells display query results in an interactive data table.