Most Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, typically include Python as part of their default system packages. Python is a versatile, high-level programming language known for its simplicity and readability. Python is used in scripting, Automation, web development, data analysis, and artificial intelligence.
In this guide, you'll learn the steps to install Python 3 on Linux. I'll be using Ubuntu 22.04.
Prerequisites
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You'll need a computer running any Linux OS, such as Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, or others, to proceed with the Python installation.
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Ensure you have administrative access (sudo) on the Linux system.
Most Linux distributions, like Debian, already have Python preinstalled. To check your Python version, open the terminal and type either python -V or python3 -V.
If the output displays something like "Python 3.xx.x," Python 3 is already installed on your Linux machine.
If the command returns an error such as "python3: command not found" and doesn't show any version, Python is not installed on your system
Two Ways to Install Python on Linux
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Install the latest version of Python available in the default repository using the Package Manager.
- Install the latest version from the official Python website (source code).
Method 1. Install Python on Linux from Package Manager
The most straightforward method to install Python is through the Package Manager. To install Python 3. Before installing Python, it's good practice to update the package list and upgrade all your system software to the latest version. You can use the following commands to update the system and install the latest version of Python on nearly every Linux system.
Debian and Ubuntu-based systems :
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install python3 -y
Fedora:
sudo dnf install python3
Method 2:Install Python From Source Code
Try this method to download and build the source code directly from the official Python website. It's a bit trickier, but you'll get a newer or any other version of Python.
Again before installing Python, it's good practice to update the package list and upgrade all your system software to the latest version.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Install some other dependencies:
To install a package from source code, you need extra software dependencies. Use this command to install the necessary packages for Python:
sudo apt install build-essential zlib1g-dev libncurses5-dev libgdbm-dev libnss3-dev libssl-dev libreadline-dev libffi-dev wget -y
Now get the Newest Python Source Code:
Go to the /tmp folder using the cd command.
cd /tmp/
We use the /tmp folder to download source code because it's meant for short-term storage, making it simple to get rid of the files once you're done installing.
Next, visit the official Python source code website and choose the version you want to install. Go down to the Files part of the webpage and copy the link for the Gzipped source tarball.
Use the wget command to download the Python Source Code:
wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.12.1/Python-3.12.1.tgz
Now, Extract Compressed Files using tar:
tar -xf Python-3.12.1.tgz
Change the version numbers in the tgz file name to match the version you downloaded.
Also, You need to perform tests and optimizations before installing Python. This is important as it increases the execution speed of your code. change to the directory you extracted the tgz file to, and hit the following commands:
cd Python-3.12.1/
./configure --enable-optimizations
sudo make install
This process requires some time for completion. Please wait until it is finished.Once you've followed the above steps, verify that Python is correctly installed on your machine by entering the python3 --version in the terminal.
Note - If you already have Python 3 and want to add another Python installation alongside it, use this command:
sudo make altinstall