Why the latest Python 3.8.x release provides no Windows installer?
Question:
I need to install Python 3.8 on a Windows computer and hope to use the latest minor version of 3.8.12. The official release web page provides tarball files of the source code but no Windows installer. Python 3.8.10 provides Windows installers, but it is not the latest version.
I am wondering:
- Why v3.8.12 does not provide any Windows installer?
- If we want to use v3.8.12, what can we do?
I appreciate your help and suggestions.
Answers:
https://devguide.python.org/#status-of-python-branches provides a summary of the various release statuses.
features
new features, bugfixes, and security fixes are accepted.
prerelease
feature fixes, bugfixes, and security fixes are accepted
for the upcoming feature release.
bugfix
bugfixes and security fixes are accepted, new binaries are
still released. (Also called maintenance mode or stable release)
security
only security fixes are accepted and no more binaries are
released, but new source-only versions can be released
end-of-life
release cycle is frozen; no further changes can be pushed
to it.
Python 3.8 is currently in security mode, so only source releases (and no binary installers) are provided from Python itself.
As the page you linked to says,
According to the release calendar specified in PEP 569, Python 3.8 is now in the "security fixes only" stage of its life cycle: 3.8 branch only accepts security fixes and releases of those are made irregularly in source-only form until October 2024. Python 3.8 isn’t receiving regular bug fixes anymore, and binary installers are no longer provided for it. Python 3.8.10 was the last full bugfix release of Python 3.8 with binary installers.
Python 3.8.10 was the last release at the bug fix stage, and so the last for which Python officially provided binary installers. If you want a binary installers for 3.8.12, you’ll have to either make one yourself from the source or find someone else who has done it or will do it for you.
You can easily build it by following the instructions.
Add the resulting PCbuildwin32 directory to PATH and you are good to go.
I need to install Python 3.8 on a Windows computer and hope to use the latest minor version of 3.8.12. The official release web page provides tarball files of the source code but no Windows installer. Python 3.8.10 provides Windows installers, but it is not the latest version.
I am wondering:
- Why v3.8.12 does not provide any Windows installer?
- If we want to use v3.8.12, what can we do?
I appreciate your help and suggestions.
https://devguide.python.org/#status-of-python-branches provides a summary of the various release statuses.
features
new features, bugfixes, and security fixes are accepted.prerelease
feature fixes, bugfixes, and security fixes are accepted
for the upcoming feature release.bugfix
bugfixes and security fixes are accepted, new binaries are
still released. (Also called maintenance mode or stable release)security
only security fixes are accepted and no more binaries are
released, but new source-only versions can be releasedend-of-life
release cycle is frozen; no further changes can be pushed
to it.
Python 3.8 is currently in security mode, so only source releases (and no binary installers) are provided from Python itself.
As the page you linked to says,
According to the release calendar specified in PEP 569, Python 3.8 is now in the "security fixes only" stage of its life cycle: 3.8 branch only accepts security fixes and releases of those are made irregularly in source-only form until October 2024. Python 3.8 isn’t receiving regular bug fixes anymore, and binary installers are no longer provided for it. Python 3.8.10 was the last full bugfix release of Python 3.8 with binary installers.
Python 3.8.10 was the last release at the bug fix stage, and so the last for which Python officially provided binary installers. If you want a binary installers for 3.8.12, you’ll have to either make one yourself from the source or find someone else who has done it or will do it for you.
You can easily build it by following the instructions.
Add the resulting PCbuildwin32 directory to PATH and you are good to go.