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install_python.md

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install_python.sh

This script installs or uninstalls Python on Linux, macOS, and Windows systems. It supports version pinning and automatically installs the latest version when no version is specified.

Usage

./install_python.sh [install|uninstall]
  • install (default): Installs Python (latest version if not specified).
  • uninstall: Removes Python from the system.

Optional Environment Variables

  • PYTHON_VERSION: Pin specific version (e.g., 3.12 or 3.12.5) or leave empty for latest
  • PYTHON_SET_ALIASES: Set aliases for python and python3 to point to the installed version (default: true)
    • Set to false, 0, or no to disable alias creation

Example Usage

To install the latest Python version:

./install_python.sh install

To install a specific major.minor version:

PYTHON_VERSION=3.12 ./install_python.sh install

To install a specific full version:

PYTHON_VERSION=3.11.5 ./install_python.sh install

To install without setting aliases:

PYTHON_SET_ALIASES=false ./install_python.sh install

To uninstall Python:

./install_python.sh uninstall

Running Without Cloning

To install the latest Python version:

bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdevto/cli-tools/main/scripts/install_python.sh) install

To install a specific version:

PYTHON_VERSION=3.13 bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdevto/cli-tools/main/scripts/install_python.sh) install

To install without setting aliases:

PYTHON_SET_ALIASES=false bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdevto/cli-tools/main/scripts/install_python.sh) install

Note: On RHEL/CentOS/Fedora systems, installing a specific Python version (e.g., python3.13) creates a versioned binary (python3.13) rather than replacing python3. The script automatically creates aliases for python and python3 to point to the installed version (unless PYTHON_SET_ALIASES=false).

Verification

After installation, check the Python version:

If aliases are enabled (default): The python and python3 commands will point to the installed version:

python --version
python3 --version

On Linux (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora) without aliases: When installing a specific version (e.g., python3.13), use the versioned binary:

python3.13 --version

On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian) or macOS: The default python3 command should work:

python3 --version

Note: After installation with aliases enabled, restart your shell or run source ~/.bashrc (or source ~/.zshrc) for aliases to take effect.

Supported Operating Systems

  • Linux (Ubuntu/Debian, RHEL/CentOS/Fedora)
  • macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon)
  • Windows (limited support - provides instructions)

Installation Methods by OS

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

  • Uses system package manager (apt/apt-get)
  • For newer versions, automatically adds deadsnakes PPA (Ubuntu only)
  • Note: Deadsnakes PPA is Ubuntu-only; Debian systems will need to use pyenv or build from source
  • Installs python3.x, python3.x-dev, and python3.x-venv

Linux (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora)

  • Uses system package manager (dnf/yum)
  • Attempts EPEL repository for older RHEL/CentOS systems
  • Falls back to compilation instructions if version not available

macOS

  • Uses Homebrew to install pyenv
  • Installs Python via pyenv for better version management
  • Automatically detects shell type (zsh, bash, or fallback to .profile)
  • Configures shell profiles with pyenv integration (only if not already configured)

Windows

  • Provides manual installation instructions
  • Recommends using pyenv-win for version management

Features

  • Automatically detects platform and package manager
  • Intelligently handles sudo (works as root or with sudo)
  • Installs latest Python version when no version is specified
  • Supports version pinning (major.minor or full version)
  • Idempotent: skips installation if requested version is already installed
  • Automatically installs required dependencies (curl)
  • Handles multiple installation methods per OS
  • Verifies installation after completion
  • Validates Ubuntu-only requirements for deadsnakes PPA
  • Smart shell detection for pyenv configuration on macOS
  • Automatic alias creation: Creates python and python3 aliases pointing to the installed version (configurable via PYTHON_SET_ALIASES)

Error Handling

  • If Python with the requested version is already installed, the script will skip reinstallation.
  • If an unsupported OS or architecture is detected, the script exits with an error message.
  • The script checks for required dependencies before attempting installation.
  • Missing dependencies are automatically installed.
  • Validates that sudo is available (or runs as root) before attempting package installation.
  • Checks if latest version detection succeeds before proceeding.
  • Validates Ubuntu-only requirement for deadsnakes PPA on Debian-based systems.

Version Detection

The script normalizes version numbers:

  • 3.12.5 → 3.12 (major.minor)
  • 3.12 → 3.12 (unchanged)
  • Latest version is fetched from python.org

Prerequisites

The script automatically installs required dependencies:

  • curl - for fetching latest version information

OS-Specific Prerequisites

  • macOS: Requires Homebrew (installed automatically if needed for pyenv)
  • Linux: Requires appropriate package manager (apt, dnf, yum)
  • Windows: Manual installation recommended

Idempotency

The script is idempotent and will:

  • Check if Python is already installed
  • Compare installed version with requested version
  • Skip installation if versions match
  • Proceed with installation if version differs or Python is not installed

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  1. Python not found after installation:

    • Restart your shell or run source ~/.bashrc (or source ~/.zshrc)
    • Verify PATH: echo $PATH | grep python
    • Check installation: which python3

  2. Installation fails on Ubuntu/Debian:

    • Ensure software-properties-common is installed
    • Check if deadsnakes PPA was added: ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ | grep deadsnakes
    • Note: Deadsnakes PPA is Ubuntu-only. On Debian, use pyenv or build from source

  3. Installation fails on RHEL/CentOS:

    • Ensure EPEL repository is enabled: sudo yum install epel-release
    • Some versions may require compilation from source

  4. macOS installation issues:

    • Ensure Homebrew is installed: brew --version
    • If pyenv fails, try: brew install python@3.12 directly

  5. Version not available:

    • System repositories may not have the latest Python versions
    • Consider using pyenv for better version management
    • Check available versions in your distribution's repositories

  6. Aliases not working:

    • Restart your shell or run source ~/.bashrc (or source ~/.zshrc)
    • Check if aliases were added: grep "alias python" ~/.bashrc (or ~/.zshrc)
    • Verify the target binary exists: which python3.13 (or your installed version)
    • Check if PYTHON_SET_ALIASES was set to false during installation

Logs and Debugging

  • Check installed version: python3 --version
  • Check available versions (Ubuntu): apt-cache search python3 | grep '^python3'
  • Check available versions (RHEL/Fedora): dnf list available python3*
  • Check pyenv versions (macOS): pyenv versions

Manual Installation Methods

If the script fails, you can install Python manually:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3.12 python3.12-dev python3.12-venv

RHEL/CentOS/Fedora:

sudo dnf install python3.12
# Or for older systems:
sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum install python312

macOS:

brew install pyenv
pyenv install 3.12.5
pyenv global 3.12.5

Additional Resources

Cleanup

  • Temporary installation files are automatically removed after execution.
  • The script uses trap cleanup EXIT to ensure cleanup even if interrupted.

Notes

  • System Python (usually python3) may be a system dependency and should not be removed
  • The script installs additional Python versions alongside system Python
  • Important: On RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, installing a specific version (e.g., python3.13) creates a versioned binary (python3.13) rather than replacing python3. The script automatically creates aliases to make python and python3 point to the installed version.
  • Aliases: By default, the script creates aliases in your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, or .bash_profile) so that python and python3 point to the installed version. Set PYTHON_SET_ALIASES=false to disable this behavior.
  • On macOS, the script uses pyenv for better version management
  • Windows support is limited; manual installation is recommended
  • The script intelligently handles sudo - works when running as root or with sudo privileges
  • Uninstall warning: Removing Python packages can affect system tools on non-container systems
  • Deadsnakes PPA is Ubuntu-only; Debian users should use pyenv or build from source
  • Shell integration for pyenv is only added if not already present (prevents duplicates)
  • Aliases are automatically updated when reinstalling or installing a different version