In this article, we’ll explain steps to install python in Ubuntu. 
In some of the old Ubuntu version python 3.5 is pre-installed. But in the latest Ubuntu version, python 3.6 is pre-installed by default such as Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 17.10. If you are using the old Ubuntu version then follow the below steps:
Steps to Install Python in Ubuntu
Step 1: Check the default python binaries on your Ubuntu system
root@sysadminxpert:~# ls -l /usr/bin/python* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Dec 21 2013 /usr/bin/python -> python2.7 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Dec 21 2013 /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3345416 Jun 22 2015 /usr/bin/python2.7 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 975 Jan 2 2014 /usr/bin/python2-jsondiff -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1080 Jan 2 2014 /usr/bin/python2-jsonpatch lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Mar 23 2014 /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.4 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3693512 Sep 14 2016 /usr/bin/python3.4 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3693512 Sep 14 2016 /usr/bin/python3.4m lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Mar 23 2014 /usr/bin/python3m -> python3.4m root@sysadminxpert:~#
Step 2: Install Python 3.6 version in Ubuntu
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa $ sudo apt update $ sudo apt install python3.6
Again check the default python binaries on your Ubuntu system you will see python 3.6 along with 2.7 version.
You can also download python package from official page.
$ ls -l /usr/bin/python*
Output for Python binaries:
root@sysadminxpert:~# ls -l /usr/bin/python* lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Dec 21 2013 /usr/bin/python -> python2.7 lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Dec 21 2013 /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3345416 Jun 22 2015 /usr/bin/python2.7 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 975 Jan 2 2014 /usr/bin/python2-jsondiff -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1080 Jan 2 2014 /usr/bin/python2-jsonpatch lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Mar 23 2014 /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.4 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3693512 Sep 14 2016 /usr/bin/python3.4 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3693512 Sep 14 2016 /usr/bin/python3.4m -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4555968 Dec 25 2018 /usr/bin/python3.6 -rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4555968 Dec 25 2018 /usr/bin/python3.6m lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Mar 23 2014 /usr/bin/python3m -> python3.4m root@sysadminxpert:~#
From this above output, the default python version on your system is 2.7.
Step 3: Check the Python version:
$python -V
Demo Output:
root@sysadminxpert:~# python -V Python 2.7.6 root@sysadminxpert:~# python3.6 -V Python 3.6.8 root@sysadminxpert:~#
If you want to use the latest Python 3.6 version, then use the following command:
root@sysadminxpert:~# python3.6 -V Python 3.6.8 root@sysadminxpert:~# python3.6 Python 3.6.8 (default, Dec 25 2018, 00:00:00) [GCC 4.8.4] on linux Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>> >>> exit() root@sysadminxpert:~#
How to exit a Python Interpreter?
exit() or quit()
Thanks for reading this articles.
This is the end of the article, Steps to Install Python in Ubuntu.
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