Install Python on Debian

Method 1: The Debian repository

sudo apt install python3

Check the version:

python3 --version

(On Debian the python command may not exist. Use python3, or install the package python-is-python3.)

Also install pip and the venv module if you need them:

sudo apt install python3-pip python3-venv

Method 2: Snap

Search for Python packages:

snap find python

Install one (a version-named package, if it is offered):

sudo snap install python38

Snap needs snapd (sudo apt install snapd).

Method 3: Compile from source

Use this to get the newest version.

Step 1: Install the build tools

sudo apt install build-essential libssl-dev libsqlite3-dev libbz2-dev libgdbm-dev libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev libreadline-dev zlib1g-dev libffi-dev wget

Step 2: Download the source

wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.12.2/Python-3.12.2.tgz

Step 3: Extract it and go into the folder

tar xzf Python-3.12.2.tgz
cd Python-3.12.2

Step 4: Configure

./configure --enable-optimizations

Step 5: Install make (if it is missing)

sudo apt install make

Step 6: Build

make -j $(nproc)

Step 7: Install

sudo make altinstall

altinstall leaves the system Python as it is, and installs the new one as python3.12.

Step 8: Check it

python3.12 --version

Why install Python on Debian

1. Compatibility and stability. Debian is a stable base for Python apps.
2. Package management. apt and pip handle your software.
3. A big community. There is a lot of help for both.

Quick recap

• sudo apt install python3 is the simple way.
• Compile from source for a newer version, with altinstall.
• Use python3 -m venv for your projects.