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Download Python

The current production versions are Python 3.4.0 and Python 2.7.6.

Start with one of these versions for learning Python or if you want the most stability; they're both considered stable production releases.

If you don't know which version to use, try Python 3.4. Some existing third-party software is not yet compatible with Python 3; if you need to use such software, you can download Python 2.7.x instead.

For the MD5 checksums and OpenPGP signatures, look at the detailed Python 3.4.0 page:

For the MD5 checksums and OpenPGP signatures, look at the detailed Python 2.7.6 page:

A comprehensive list of the latest release of all major versions is available if you need source code for an older version of Python.

Alternative Implementations

This site hosts the "traditional" implementation of Python (nicknamed CPython). A number of alternative implementations are available as well, namely

  • IronPython (Python running on .NET)
  • Jython (Python running on the Java Virtual Machine)
  • PyPy (A fast python implementation with a JIT compiler)
  • Stackless Python (Branch of CPython supporting microthreads)

Other parties have re-packaged CPython. These re-packagings often include more libraries or are specialized for a particular application:

  • ActiveState ActivePython (commercial and community versions, including scientific computing modules)
  • pythonxy (Scientific-oriented Python Distribution based on Qt and Spyder)
  • winpython (WinPython is a portable scientific Python distribution for Windows)
  • Conceptive Python SDK (targets business, desktop and database applications)
  • Enthought Canopy (a commercial distribution for scientific computing)
  • Portable Python (Python and add-on packages configured to run off a portable device)
  • PyIMSL Studio (a commercial distribution for numerical analysis – free for non-commercial use)
  • Anaconda Python (a full Python distribution for data management, analysis and visualization of large data sets)
  • eGenix PyRun (a portable Python runtime, complete with stdlib, frozen into a single executable file)

Information about specific ports, and developer info:

OpenPGP Public Keys

Source and binary executables are signed by the release manager using their OpenPGP key. The release managers and binary builders since Python 2.3 have been:

Note: Barry's key id A74B06BF is used to sign the Python 2.6.8 and 2.6.9 releases. His key id EA5BBD71 was used to sign all other Python 2.6 and 3.0 releases. His key id ED9D77D5 is a v3 key and was used to sign older releases.

You can import the release manager public keys by either downloading the public key file from here and then running

% gpg --import pubkeys.txt

or by grabbing the individual keys directly from the keyserver network by running this command:

% gpg --recv-keys 6A45C816 36580288 7D9DC8D2 18ADD4FF A4135B38 A74B06BF EA5BBD71 ED9D77D5 E6DF025C 6F5E1540 F73C700D

On the version-specific download pages, you should see a link to both the downloadable file and a detached signature file. To verify the authenticity of the download, grab both files and then run this command:

% gpg --verify Python-3.4.0.tgz.asc

Note that you must use the name of the signature file, and you should use the one that's appropriate to the download you're verifying.

  • (These instructions are geared to GnuPG and Unix command-line users. Contributions of instructions for other platforms and OpenPGP applications are welcome.)

Other Useful Items

  • Looking for 3rd party Python modules? The Package Index has many of them.
  • You can view the standard documentation online, or you can download it in HTML, PostScript, PDF and other formats. See the main Documentation page.
  • Information on tools for unpacking archive files provided on python.org is available.
  • Tip: even if you download a ready-made binary for your platform, it makes sense to also download the source. This lets you browse the standard library (the subdirectory Lib) and the standard collections of demos (Demo) and tools (Tools) that come with it. There's a lot you can learn from the source!
  • There is also a collection of Emacs packages that the Emacsing Pythoneer might find useful. This includes major modes for editing Python, C, C++, Java, etc., Python debugger interfaces and more. Most packages are compatible with Emacs and XEmacs.

Want to contribute? See the Python Developer's Guide to learn about how Python development is managed.

Python is OSI Certified Open Source:

/images/osi-certified-120x100.gif
[1](1, 2) The binaries for AMD64 will also work on processors that implement the Intel 64 architecture (formerly EM64T), i.e. the architecture that Microsoft calls x64, and AMD called x86-64 before calling it AMD64. They will not work on Intel Itanium Processors (formerly IA-64).
[2](1, 2, 3, 4) There is important information about IDLE, Tkinter, and Tcl/Tk on Mac OS X here.