Welcome soon to be Python user! Python is one of the easiest programming languages to learn and grow with. But there are a few bumps right at the beginning. **One of these bumps is to make sure you have Python installed** and that it's a sufficiently new version (generally 3.10+ is solid these days).
Because how you install and verify Python varies by operating system, we've put together this short guide. It's goal is to give you exposure to the various ways on your operating system to **install and maintain Python in a concise and no-nonsense manner**. So with out further ado, let's get you setup!
## Step 1. Go To Your Operating System
As mentioned above, how you verify Python and subsequently install it is specific to the operating system. So jump to:
* [**Windows**](#windows)
* [**macOS**](#macos)
* [**Linux**](#linux)
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## Windows
### Step 2. Do you have Python? Let's check
To determine if you have Python installed, open the [**command prompt**](https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-open-command-prompt-2618089) or (preferred) install [**new Windows Terminal**](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/introducing-windows-terminal/) from the [**Microsoft Store**](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-terminal/9n0dx20hk701?activetab=pivot:overviewtab).
Verify you have Python, in the command prompt / terminal, type **python -V** (capital V):
C:\users\username\> python -V
C:\users\username\> python -V
Python 3.12.0
C:\users\username\> python -V
Python 2.7.18
C:\users\username\> python -V
'python' is not recognized as a command or program.
C:\users\username\> python -V
Python was not found; run without arguments to install from the Windows Store...
$ python3 -V
$ python3 -V
Python 3.12.0
$ python -V
Python 2.7.18
$ python3 -V
bash: python3: command not found
$ python3 -V
$ python3 -V
Python 3.12.0
$ python -V
Python 2.7.18
$ python3 -V
bash: python3: command not found
Step 3. You need Python, install it on Linux
- Package manager << recommended
- Anaconda
- Compiled from source
<< Built-in Package Manager for Ubuntu >>
Ubuntu manages it's installed software using **[apt](https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/package-management)**. This is a good way to install and manage Python 3 on your system. **Pros**- Will keep Python up-to-date on your system as long as you periodically run the upgrade command
- Will update across versions (e.g. 3.11 -> 3.12)
- Can inform you of pending upgrade if upgrade command is run
- Requires root permissions
- Often lags badly behind the latest version (sometimes about 1.5 years behind)
- Open a terminal
- Update the package sources:
sudo apt update - Upgrade currently installed software:
sudo apt upgrade - Install the latest Python 3:
sudo apt install build-essential libssl-dev libffi-dev python3-dev - Make sure we have pip as part of our Python:
sudo apt install python3-pip - Close all terminal windows
- Run
python3 -Vin a new terminal window to verify you have Python now working
<< Anaconda distribution on Ubuntu >>
[Anaconda is a distribution of Python](https://www.anaconda.com/products/individual) that packages many of the common data science packages pre-configured for your system. It is a good option for data scientists. **Pros**- Many packages and libraries are pre-installed
- Good for data science tooling in Python
- Generally uses conda environments rather than Python's virtual environments - this can lead to a mismatch in instructions when Anaconda is not the primary tool used.
- Packages available here often lag behind in release schedule from PyPI / pip
- Often one whole version behind on Python (e.g. 3.11 rather than 3.12)
- Download the Linux installer
- Run the installer, add Python to path if asked
- Close all terminal and command prompt windows
- Run
python3 -Vin a new terminal window to verify you have Python now working
<< Building python from source on Ubuntu >>
While we would not generally recommend building Python 3 from source, if you need the very latest on your system, often this is one of the few options available. **Pros**- You'll have the very latest Python you've gotten from source (potentially even pre-release versions)
- Complicated and fraught with pitfalls
- Can require root permissions for additional build libraries
- Open a terminal
- Ensure your package listings and software are up-to-date:
sudo apt-get update - Install the build tools:
sudo apt-get install -y build-essential checkinstall - Add additional libraries needed by Python to build:
apt-get install libreadline-gplv2-dev libncursesw5-dev libssl-dev libffi-dev libsqlite3-dev tk-dev libgdbm-dev libc6-dev libbz2-dev - Change into the src directory:
cd /usr/src - Get the latest source from python.org/downloads/source and wget it locally, e.g.:
sudo wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.12.0/Python-3.12.0.tgz - Decompress it (varies by version):
sudo tar xzf Python-3.12.0.tgz - Change into the created directory (varies by version):
cd Python-3.12.0 - Prepare it for compilation:
sudo ./configure --enable-optimizations - Compile it without modifying system Python:
sudo make altinstall - Verify this version was built (varies by version):
python3.12 --version - Use
python3.12instead ofpythonorpython3commands - Consider creating an alias of
python3.12topythonin your shell profile.
There is a nice write up of this procedure over here.
Corrections and improvements
If you find a problem or have a suggestion to make this page better, please visit the GitHub repository here. Note that this is not intended for tech support but rather for genuine, broadly applicable improvements to the instructions: