Follow through this guide to learn how to install Python on Rocky Linux 8. There exists different ways of installing Python on Linux systems. You can either install a specific version of Python from the source code or simply install the specific Python version from the specific Linux distro package repository.
Installing Python on Rocky Linux 8
As already mentioned, you can install Python by building from the source code or from the system package repositories.
Install Python 3.9 on Rocky Linux 8
As of this writing, the default Rocky Linux 8 AppStream repository provides Python 2, Python 3.6, 3.8, and 3.9.
To install Python 3.9 on Rocky Linux 8, run the command below;
dnf install python39
Dependencies resolved.
============================================================================================================================================================================
Package Architecture Version Repository Size
============================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
python39 x86_64 3.9.2-1.module+el8.4.0+574+843c4898 appstream 31 k
Installing dependencies:
python39-libs x86_64 3.9.2-1.module+el8.4.0+574+843c4898 appstream 8.1 M
python39-pip-wheel noarch 20.2.4-3.module+el8.4.0+574+843c4898 appstream 1.3 M
python39-setuptools-wheel noarch 50.3.2-3.module+el8.4.0+574+843c4898 appstream 496 k
Installing weak dependencies:
python39-pip noarch 20.2.4-3.module+el8.4.0+574+843c4898 appstream 2.0 M
python39-setuptools noarch 50.3.2-3.module+el8.4.0+574+843c4898 appstream 870 k
Enabling module streams:
python39 3.9
Transaction Summary
============================================================================================================================================================================
Install 6 Packages
Total download size: 13 M
Installed size: 45 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Once installed, you can always counter check the installed version of Python, if you dont already have other versions installed;
python3 -VSample output;
Python 3.9.2Install Python 3.8 on Rocky Linux 8
To install Python 3.8 simply execute the command below;
dnf install python38
Dependencies resolved.
============================================================================================================================================================================
Package Architecture Version Repository Size
============================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
python38 x86_64 3.8.6-3.module+el8.4.0+595+c96abaa2 appstream 78 k
Installing dependencies:
python38-libs x86_64 3.8.6-3.module+el8.4.0+595+c96abaa2 appstream 8.3 M
python38-pip-wheel noarch 19.3.1-1.module+el8.4.0+570+c2eaf144 appstream 1.2 M
python38-setuptools-wheel noarch 41.6.0-4.module+el8.4.0+570+c2eaf144 appstream 303 k
Installing weak dependencies:
python38-pip noarch 19.3.1-1.module+el8.4.0+570+c2eaf144 appstream 1.9 M
python38-setuptools noarch 41.6.0-4.module+el8.4.0+570+c2eaf144 appstream 666 k
Enabling module streams:
python38 3.8
Transaction Summary
============================================================================================================================================================================
Install 6 Packages
Total download size: 12 M
Installed size: 45 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Install Python 3.6 on Rocky Linux 8
To install Python 3.6 simply execute the command below;
dnf install python36
Dependencies resolved.
============================================================================================================================================================================
Package Architecture Version Repository Size
============================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
python36 x86_64 3.6.8-2.module+el8.4.0+597+ddf0ddea appstream 18 k
Installing dependencies:
python3-pip noarch 9.0.3-19.el8.rocky appstream 19 k
python3-setuptools noarch 39.2.0-6.el8 baseos 162 k
Enabling module streams:
python36 3.6
Transaction Summary
============================================================================================================================================================================
Install 3 Packages
Total download size: 198 k
Installed size: 466 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Install Python 2.7 on Rocky Linux 8
To install Python 2.7 simply execute the command below. Note that Python 2 is no longer supported.
dnf install python2
Dependencies resolved.
============================================================================================================================================================================
Package Architecture Version Repository Size
============================================================================================================================================================================
Installing:
python2 x86_64 2.7.18-4.module+el8.4.0+403+9ae17a31 appstream 108 k
Installing dependencies:
python2-libs x86_64 2.7.18-4.module+el8.4.0+403+9ae17a31 appstream 6.0 M
python2-pip-wheel noarch 9.0.3-18.module+el8.4.0+403+9ae17a31 appstream 1.0 M
python2-setuptools-wheel noarch 39.0.1-13.module+el8.4.0+403+9ae17a31 appstream 286 k
Installing weak dependencies:
python2-pip noarch 9.0.3-18.module+el8.4.0+403+9ae17a31 appstream 1.7 M
python2-setuptools noarch 39.0.1-13.module+el8.4.0+403+9ae17a31 appstream 641 k
Enabling module streams:
python27 2.7
Transaction Summary
============================================================================================================================================================================
Install 6 Packages
Total download size: 9.7 M
Installed size: 37 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Checking Python 2.x version;
python2 -VPython 2.7.18List All Available Python Versions
To list all available versions of Python, run the command below;
ls -alh1 /usr/bin/python*
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 9 May 30 22:43 /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 7.9K May 30 22:43 /usr/bin/python2.7
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 25 Jul 16 11:53 /usr/bin/python3 -> /etc/alternatives/python3
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 31 Jul 2 19:01 /usr/bin/python3.6 -> /usr/libexec/platform-python3.6
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 32 Jul 2 19:01 /usr/bin/python3.6m -> /usr/libexec/platform-python3.6m
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 7.6K Jun 30 00:16 /usr/bin/python3.8
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 7.6K Jun 11 20:24 /usr/bin/python3.9
Setting Default Python Version
If you have multiple versions of Python installed, you can use alternatives command to set your default version of Python.
For example, you can run the command below to set your default version of Python.
update-alternatives --config pythonSample output;
There are 5 programs which provide 'python'.
Selection Command
-----------------------------------------------
*+ 1 /usr/libexec/no-python
2 /usr/bin/python3
3 /usr/bin/python3.9
4 /usr/bin/python3.8
5 /usr/bin/python2
Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number: 2
Select enter specific number that defines the version of Python you want to set as the default version and press ENTER key. The + symbol shows the current default version.
In the above, option 2 was selected, which sets Python 3.6.8 as the default version;
python -VPython 3.6.8You can also use the command below to set default Python version.
alternatives --install <link> <name> <path> <priority>For example;
update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.9 1You can list the alternatives;
update-alternatives --list
libnssckbi.so.x86_64 auto /usr/lib64/pkcs11/p11-kit-trust.so
python manual /usr/bin/python3
ifup auto /usr/libexec/nm-ifup
cifs-idmap-plugin auto /usr/lib64/cifs-utils/cifs_idmap_sss.so
ld auto /usr/bin/ld.bfd
nmap auto /usr/bin/ncat
python3 auto /usr/bin/python3.6
To remove alternatives;
alternatives --remove-all pythonAnd that is how easy it is to install Python.
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