How Do I Fix the 'SDL.h' File Not Found Error When Installing Pygame on macOS?

Pygame Installation Dilemma on macOS: Resolving the 'SDL.h' Issue

Pygame, a versatile game development library, faces a common installation roadblock on macOS. Developers encounter the frustrating error: "fatal error: 'SDL.h' file not found." This article addresses this issue and provides a solution for installing Pygame on macOS.

Understanding the Problem

The error originates from the inability of the compiler to locate the SDL library, a core dependency of Pygame. This missing header file is essential for the successful compilation of Pygame.

System Configuration

To provide context, the system configuration where the issue occurs is:

• macOS 10.9.2
• Python 2.7.5 with Anaconda 1.6.1 (x86_64)

Solution via Brew

A proven solution to this installation problem involves using Brew, a package manager for macOS. By following these steps, you can install the necessary dependencies:

brew install sdl sdl_image sdl_mixer sdl_ttf portmidi

Once the dependencies are installed, you can proceed with installing Pygame:

pip install https://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame/get/default.tar.gz

Additional Tips

• The "default" branch of Pygame is currently on commit e3ae850.
• If you encounter further issues, refer to this Bitbucket issue thread: https://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame/issue/139/sdlh-not-found-even-thought-it-exists#comment-3822470
• You may also find this StackOverflow question informative: PyGame in a virtualenv on OS X with brew?

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