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Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

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Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#3

Something I've been wondering for years: I understand the rift between 2.x and 3.x.. But what is the rationale for maintaining multiple 3.x branches? And how do I choose the right branch for a fresh project? From experience, it seems like it doesn't really matter.

From the announcement in the linked page:

>> Python 3.6.8 is planned to be the last bugfix release of Python 3.6. Per our support policy, we plan to provide security fixes for Python 3.6 as needed through 2021, five years following its initial release.

Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#4

Something I've been wondering for years: I understand the rift between 2.x and 3.x.. But what is the rationale for maintaining multiple 3.x branches? And how do I choose the right branch for a fresh project? From experience, it seems like it doesn't really matter.

Choose the latest 3.x release, unless you have some dependencies that don't work with the latest release (yet).

There are differences between 3.x releases, and things like security issues or bugs need to be fixed. Saying "well duh just upgrade" isn't acceptable.

Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#5

Something I've been wondering for years: I understand the rift between 2.x and 3.x.. But what is the rationale for maintaining multiple 3.x branches? And how do I choose the right branch for a fresh project? From experience, it seems like it doesn't really matter.

Well, as described in the OC 3.6.8 is a bugfix release for the 3.6 branch. Whoever needs to ensure compatibility with the featureset of 3.6 and not risk incompatibilities with 3.7 but wants bugfixes would use the latest 3.6.

Everybody interested in the new features from 3.7 would use the latest version here.

As python can introduce minor "breaking" changes this is quite a good way of ensuring compatibility.

Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#6

Something I've been wondering for years: I understand the rift between 2.x and 3.x.. But what is the rationale for maintaining multiple 3.x branches? And how do I choose the right branch for a fresh project? From experience, it seems like it doesn't really matter.

Per the 3.6 release schedule[1], 3.6 was the stable branch until the final release of 3.7.0. After that, it was to receive two more bug fix releases and then switch over to security fixes. 3.7.0 final was released a few months ago, so this is the last bugfix release for 3.6.x. 3.7.0 is now considered "stable". However, 3.6.8 will still receive security fixes for anyone that is depending on it.

This is generally done for those who want "stable" releases with minimal bug fixes. The 3.7 branch has newer features and therefore, potentially more bugs.

If you want the latest stable version, get 3.7.0. If you want the latest version, get 3.7.2.

[1] https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0494/

Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#7

Something I've been wondering for years: I understand the rift between 2.x and 3.x.. But what is the rationale for maintaining multiple 3.x branches? And how do I choose the right branch for a fresh project? From experience, it seems like it doesn't really matter.

Per the 3.6 release schedule[1], 3.6 was the stable branch until the final release of 3.7.0. After that, it was to receive two more bug fix releases and then switch over to security fixes. 3.7.0 final was released a few months ago, so this is the last bugfix release for 3.6.x. 3.7.0 is now considered "stable". However, 3.6.8 will still receive security fixes for anyone that is depending on it. This is generally done…

How does that justify 4 different 3.x branches continually updated in the last year, from 3.4 to 3.7?

That still doesn't explain why it makes sense for python devs to be split among what, 4 different 3.x branches in the last year? I can understand keeping one stable LTS branch and one "up to date" branch, but the current system seems like a waste of resources and extra complexity, though I assume there's a good reason I'm not familiar with. For example, 3.4 .9 was released after 3.7.0. [1]

Maybe I'm just missing something about the numbering scheme?

1.https://www.python.org/downloads

Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#9

Something I've been wondering for years: I understand the rift between 2.x and 3.x.. But what is the rationale for maintaining multiple 3.x branches? And how do I choose the right branch for a fresh project? From experience, it seems like it doesn't really matter.

Per the 3.6 release schedule[1], 3.6 was the stable branch until the final release of 3.7.0. After that, it was to receive two more bug fix releases and then switch over to security fixes. 3.7.0 final was released a few months ago, so this is the last bugfix release for 3.6.x. 3.7.0 is now considered "stable". However, 3.6.8 will still receive security fixes for anyone that is depending on it. This is generally done…

On the note of stability, it's interesting to see which Linux distributions ship with which versions. Debian Stretch for instance ships with 3.5.3-1 while Ubuntu 18.04 LTS runs 3.6.5-3.

I know some who would argue that Debian is generally the more stable server and Ubuntu more bleeding edge.

Re: Python 3.7.2 and 3.6.8 are now available

#10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Per the 3.6 release schedule[1], 3.6 was the stable branch until the final release of 3.7.0. After that, it was to receive two more bug fix releases and then switch over to security fixes. 3.7.0 final was released a few months ago, so this is the last bugfix release for 3.6.x. 3.7.0 is now considered "stable". However, 3.6.8 will still receive security fixes for anyone that is depending on it. This is generally done…

How does that justify 4 different 3.x branches continually updated in the last year, from 3.4 to 3.7? That still doesn't explain why it makes sense for python devs to be split among what, 4 different 3.x branches in the last year? I can understand keeping one stable LTS branch and one "up to date" branch, but the current system seems like a waste of resources and extra complexity, though I assume there's a good reaso…

All Linux distributions and MacOS ship with Python, and many users of Python stick to the OS-provided version without installing the latest and greatest on their own.

For example, they might only upgrade major Python versions (3.x) once they migrate from Ubuntu 16.04 LTS to 18.04 LTS or even directly four years to 20.04 LTS. Whichever Python version is available by default there becomes the next Python LTS for them.

For now, all versions since 3.4 receive occasional security and bug fixes to make all of them are "stable". New features are only adopted with a major version (3.x) bump.

I have not heard of the Python community complaining about this being too much work - after all improvement work is only done in the latest version, old versions just get backported bug fixes.

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