How do i switch to python 3.7 in linux?

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Step 1: Install the Python 3.7 package using apt-get
Step 2: Add Python 3.6 & Python 3.7 to update-alternatives
Step 3: Update Python 3 to point to Python 3.7
Step 4: Test the version of python
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How do I change Python version in Linux?
How do I switch from Python 3.8 to 3.7 Ubuntu?
How do I update python to 3.7 Linux?
How do I switch to a specific version of Python?

In this article, we upgrade to python 3.7 and configure it as the default version of python.

I was just trying to upgrade my python and I find it a little bit hard to do. Python 3.6 is the default version that comes with Ubuntu But the latest version is Python 3.7.3.

So let’s start, First run this command to test the current version installed of python.

python3 -V

My current version is Python 3.6.5 but Yours may different.

Upgrade Python 3.7
- Step 1: Install the Python 3.7 package using apt-get
- Step 2: Add Python 3.6 & Python 3.7 to update-alternatives
- Step 3: Update Python 3 to point to Python 3.7
- Step 4: Test the version of python

Follow the simple steps to install and configure Python 3.7.

Step 1: Install the Python 3.7 package using apt-get

install python by typing below command :

sudo apt-get install python3.7

Step 2: Add Python 3.6 & Python 3.7 to update-alternatives

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.6 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.7 2

Also Read: Backup all MySQL Databases with a MySQL Backup Script

Step 3: Update Python 3 to point to Python 3.7

By default, Python 3.6 is pointed to Python 3. That means when we run python3 it will execute as python3.6 but we want to execute this as python3.7.

Type this command to configure python3:

sudo update-alternatives --config python3

You should get the above output. Now type 2 and hit enter for Python 3.7. Remember the selected number may differ so choose the selection number which is for Python 3.7.

Step 4: Test the version of python

Finally, test the current version of python by typing this :

python3 -V

You should get Python 3.7.1 as output.

In this article, we learn how to upgrade python to the latest version that is 3.7 in Ubuntu 18.10.

Share your thoughts in the comment section. Happy Learning …!!

Also Read: “How to install Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with screenshots“

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I was trying to set default python version to python3 in Ubuntu 16.04. By default it is python2 (2.7). I followed below steps :

update-alternatives --remove python /usr/bin/python2
update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3

but I'm getting the following error for the second statement,

rejeesh@rejeesh-Vostro-1015:~$ update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3
update-alternatives: --install needs <link> <name> <path> <priority>

Use 'update-alternatives --help' for program usage information.

SuperStormer

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asked Feb 1, 2017 at 17:57

RejeeshChandranRejeeshChandran

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8

The second line mentioned can be changed to

[sudo] update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 10

This gives a priority of 10 for the path of python3.

The disadvantage of alternatively editing .bashrc is that using the commands with sudo will not work.

Nico Schlömer

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answered May 14, 2018 at 13:10

10

EDIT:

I wrote this when I was young and naive, update-alternatives is the better way to do this. See @Pardhu's answer.

Outdated answer:

Open your .bashrc file nano ~/.bashrc. Type alias python=python3 on to a new line at the top of the file then save the file with ctrl+o and close the file with ctrl+x. Then, back at your command line type source ~/.bashrc. Now your alias should be permanent.

Nico Schlömer

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answered Feb 1, 2017 at 18:17

SteampunkerySteampunkery

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8

To change Python 3.6.8 as the default in Ubuntu 18.04 to Python 3.7.

Install Python 3.7

Steps to install Python3.7 and configure it as the default interpreter.

Install the python3.7 package using apt-get
sudo apt-get install python3.7
Add Python3.6 & Python 3.7 to update-alternatives

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.6 1
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.7 2

Update Python 3 to point to Python 3.7
sudo update-alternatives --config python3 Enter 2 for Python 3.7
Test the version of python

python3 --version
Python 3.7.1

Alvin Sartor

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answered Aug 24, 2019 at 23:03

5

If you have Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) you can install python-is-python3:

sudo apt install python-is-python3

which replaces the symlink in /usr/bin/python to point to /usr/bin/python3.

answered May 18, 2020 at 20:12

silviotsilviot

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3

To change to python3, you can use the following command in terminal alias python=python3.

answered Feb 1, 2017 at 18:00

DanteVoronoiDanteVoronoi

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2

A simple safe way would be to use an alias. Place this into ~/.bashrc file: if you have gedit editor use

gedit ~/.bashrc

to go into the bashrc file and then at the top of the bashrc file make the following change.

alias python=python3

After adding the above in the file. run the below command

source ~/.bash_aliases or source ~/.bashrc

example:

$ python --version
Python 2.7.6
$ python3 --version
Python 3.4.3
$ alias python=python3
$ python --version
Python 3.4.3

answered Feb 9, 2018 at 10:32

KhanKhan

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0

Update:
Since Ubuntu 20.04, the python3 is the default version, but still, python is not registered as python3 by default. In order to make that happen, you can simply do :

sudo apt install python-is-python3

For more information you can check this out.
Old way:

Do

cd ~
gedit .bash_aliases

then write either

alias python=python3

or

alias python='/usr/bin/python3'

Save the file, close the terminal and open it again.
You should be fine now! Link

answered Sep 15, 2017 at 18:34

HosseinHossein

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0

Just follow these steps to help change the default python to the newly upgrade python version. Worked well for me.

sudo apt-install python3.7 Install the latest version of python you want
cd /usr/bin Enter the root directory where python is installed
sudo unlink python or sudo unlink python3 . Unlink the current default python
sudo ln -sv /usr/bin/python3.7 python Link the new downloaded python version
python --version Check the new python version and you're good to go

answered Dec 30, 2019 at 9:19

At First Install python3 and pip3

sudo apt-get install python3 python3-pip

then in your terminal run

alias python=python3

Check the version of python in your machine.

python --version

answered Nov 25, 2019 at 18:32

As an added extra, you can add an alias for pip as well (in .bashrc or bash_aliases):

alias pip='pip3'

You many find that a clean install of python3 actually points to python3.x so you may need:

alias pip='pip3.6'
alias python='python3.6'

answered Mar 28, 2018 at 14:28

ParaicParaic

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This is a simple way that works for me.

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python

You could change /usr/bin/python3 for your path to python3 (or the version you want).

But keep in mind that update-alternatives is probably the best choice.

answered Jan 15, 2021 at 14:18

cbcramcbcram

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As it says, update-alternatives --install needs <link> <name> <path> and <priority> arguments.

You have link (/usr/bin/python), name (python), and path (/usr/bin/python3), you're missing priority.

update-alternatives --help says:

<priority> is an integer; options with higher numbers have higher priority in automatic mode.

So just put a 100 or something at the end

answered Feb 1, 2017 at 19:30

get python path from

ls /usr/bin/python*

then set your python version

alias python="/usr/bin/python3"

answered Oct 16, 2018 at 4:26

To change Python 3.6.8 as the default in Ubuntu 18.04 from Python 2.7 you can try the command line tool update-alternatives.

sudo update-alternatives --config python

If you get the error "no alternatives for python" then set up an alternative yourself with the following command:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 2

Change the path /usr/bin/python3 to your desired python version accordingly.

The last argument specified it priority means, if no manual alternative selection is made the alternative with the highest priority number will be set. In our case we have set a priority 2 for /usr/bin/python3.6.8 and as a result the /usr/bin/python3.6.8 was set as default python version automatically by update-alternatives command.

we can anytime switch between the above listed python alternative versions using below command and entering a selection number:

update-alternatives --config python

answered Jun 27, 2020 at 12:24

For another non-invasive, current-user only approach:

# First, make $HOME/bin, which will be automatically added to user's PATH
mkdir -p ~/bin
# make link actual python binaries
ln -s $(which python3) python
ln -s $(which pip3) pip

python pip will be ready in a new shell.

answered Mar 22, 2019 at 8:52

tdihptdihp

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Simply remove python-is-python2:

sudo apt purge python-is-python2

And install python-is-python3:

sudo apt install python-is-python3

It will automate the process of transition to new python3. Optionally you can get rid of remaining packages later:

sudo apt autoremove && sudo apt autoclean

answered May 25, 2020 at 8:22

0

Set priority for default python in Linux terminal by adding this:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 10
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python2 1

Here, we set python3 to have priority 10 and python2 to priority 1. This will make python3 the default python. If you want Python2 as default then make a priority of python2 higher then python3

answered Nov 6, 2020 at 4:52

sudo rm /usr/bin/python3 #remove existing link
sudo ln /usr/bin/python3.8 /usr/bin/python3 # create a new link to the version of your choice

answered Oct 1, 2021 at 9:11

1

       ~$ sudo apt-get install python3.9
/usr/bin$ cd /usr/bin
/usr/bin$ sudo unlink python3
/usr/bin$ sudo ln -sv /usr/bin/python3.9 python3
/usr/bin$ python3 --version
          Python 3.9.5
/usr/bin$ pip3 --version
          pip 20.0.2 from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip (python 3.9)

answered Jan 3 at 3:46

devpdevp

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The best way in ubuntu 18.04 which will work for all users is

sudo vim /etc/bash.bashrc
add lines
alias python=python3
alias pip=pip3

Save the changes and restart .

After restart what ever version of python 3 you have in the system along with python 2.7 will be taken as default. You could be more specific by saying the following in alias if you have multiple version of python 3.

sudo vim /etc/bash.bashrc
add lines
alias python=python3.6
alias pip=pip3.6

answered Mar 22, 2019 at 10:12

Mian Asbat AhmadMian Asbat Ahmad

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You didn't include the priority argument

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 5

You can replace 5 with any priority you want. A higher priority alternative takes precedence over lower priority.

answered Sep 2, 2020 at 12:26

If there is a possibility to use particular python version directly, I would go for it compared to update-alternatives and alias solution.

Ex.

python3.6 -m pip install pytest
ptyhon3.6 -m pytest test_sample.py

-m executes particular module for that particular python version. The first line will install pytest for for that particular version and user in possible location /home/user/.local/lib/python3.5/site-packages

answered Dec 15, 2021 at 1:21

JanPoJanPo

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in my case it happened when i run this command in my terminal " alias python=python3 "

answered May 29, 2021 at 3:11

At first, Make sure Python3 is installed on your computer

Go to your terminal and type:

cd ~/ to go to your home directory

If you didn't set up your .bash_profile yet, type touch .bash_profile to create your .bash_profile.

Or, type open -e .bash_profile to edit the file.

Copy and save alias python=python3 in the .bash_profile.

Close and reopen your Terminal. Then type the following command to check if Python3 is your default version now:

python --version

You should see python 3.x.y is your default version.

Cheers!

answered Sep 21, 2019 at 19:13

1

How do I change Python version in Linux?

Switch Python Version on Ubuntu & Debian.

Create a symlink from /usr/bin/python2. ... .

Change the symlink link to /usr/bin/python3. ... .

Repeat step 2 to add more Python version to group, which is already installed on your system..

At this point, You have added two python binary versions to the group name “python”. ... .

That's it..

How do I switch from Python 3.8 to 3.7 Ubuntu?

“downgrade python 3.8 to 3.7 ubuntu” Code Answer.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa..

sudo apt-get update..

sudo apt-get install python3.7..

How do I update python to 3.7 Linux?

Upgrade python 2.7 to 3.6 and 3.7 in Ubuntu.

Step 1:- Install ppa. This PPA contains more recent Python versions packaged for Ubuntu. ... .

Step 2:- Update packeges. Now, update your packages by running the following command. ... .

Step 3:- Upgrade python 2. x to python 3. ... .

PiP installation. Install pip by running the following command..

How do I switch to a specific version of Python?

As a standard, it is recommended to use the python3 command or python3. 7 to select a specific version. The py.exe launcher will automatically select the most recent version of Python you've installed. You can also use commands like py -3.7 to select a particular version, or py --list to see which versions can be used.

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