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Can I install python 3.7 in ubuntu 18.04 without having python 3.6 in the system?

Please read the question carefully before closing as duplicate, I believe the use case to be unique.

I'm trying to create a docker image that only has python 3.7 installed, the problem is that if I try to install pip, the command also installs python 3.6 which I do not want.

The relevant part of the ideal docker file I'm tinkering is as follows

FROM ubuntu:18.04

# Upgrade installed packages
RUN apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y && apt-get clean

# (...)

# Python package management and basic dependencies
RUN apt-get install -y python3.7 python3.7-dev python3.7-pip

# Register the version in alternatives
RUN update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.7 1

# Set python 3 as the default python
RUN update-alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python3.7

# Upgrade pip to latest version
RUN python -m ensurepip --upgrade

# (...)

This would fail as python3.7-pip doesn't seem to exist; only python3-pip does, which is what installs python 3.6 for some reason.

I tried not installing pip at all and doing it manually, like so

# (...)

RUN apt-get install -y python3.7 python3.7-dev

# (...)

RUN curl 'https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py' > get-pip.py

RUN python get-pip.py pip --no-setuptools --no-wheel

Which fails with this error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "get-pip.py", line 21492, in <module>
    main()
  File "get-pip.py", line 197, in main
    bootstrap(tmpdir=tmpdir)
  File "get-pip.py", line 82, in bootstrap
    import pip._internal
  File "/tmp/tmpbez2vju9/pip.zip/pip/_internal/__init__.py", line 40, in <module>
  File "/tmp/tmpbez2vju9/pip.zip/pip/_internal/cli/autocompletion.py", line 8, in <module>
  File "/tmp/tmpbez2vju9/pip.zip/pip/_internal/cli/main_parser.py", line 8, in <module>
  File "/tmp/tmpbez2vju9/pip.zip/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py", line 14, in <module>
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'distutils.util'

Again, installing python3-distutils results in python 3.6 appearing in the system

So, is there a way to install ONLY a fully functional python 3.7 in ubuntu 18.04, WITHOUT having to install python 3.6?

over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo
3 answers
Answer question

0

In case someone else is ok with getting Python3.6 installed as a side effect (python3.7-distutils introduces it as pointed out by OP). This will install Python3.7 making it default and have the latest available pip using your python3.7 installation

FROM ubuntu:18.04

# Upgrade installed packages
RUN apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y && apt-get clean

# (...)

# Python package management and basic dependencies
RUN apt-get install -y curl python3.7 python3.7-dev python3.7-distutils

# Register the version in alternatives
RUN update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.7 1

# Set python 3 as the default python
RUN update-alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python3.7

# Upgrade pip to latest version
RUN curl -s https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py && \
    python get-pip.py --force-reinstall && \
    rm get-pip.py


# (...)
over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report

0

I see two choices:

  1. Using a Ubuntu image, leave the Python from system untouched. Install pyenv (https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv), then download a python 3.7 install, completely separated from system's Python.

or

  1. Use the official Python image labeled 3.7.3-stretch or 3.7.3-slim-stretch (Debian)
over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report

0

The solution by @donhector has two subtle problems:

  1. It will only install the outdated version 3.7.5 of Python. You need the repo ppa:deadsnakes to get newer versions
  2. By installing alternatives for python it breaks the convention that python is used for Python 2.x. This might break apt, see How to update-alternatives to Python 3 without breaking apt?

A solution without these problems is:

FROM ubuntu:18.04

# Upgrade installed packages
RUN apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt clean

# install python 3.7.10 (or newer)
RUN apt update && \
    apt install --no-install-recommends -y build-essential software-properties-common && \
    add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa && \
    apt install --no-install-recommends -y python3.7 python3.7-dev python3.7-distutils && \
    apt clean && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Register the version in alternatives (and set higher priority to 3.7)
RUN update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.6 1
RUN update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.7 2

# Upgrade pip to latest version
RUN curl -s https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py && \
    python3 get-pip.py --force-reinstall && \
    rm get-pip.py
over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report
Answer question
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