# Python

There are several versions of Python available from RedHat. This guide shows how you can select a specific version to be used on your system.

The use of environment like [`venv`](https://docs.python.org/3/library/venv.html) or [Conda](https://docs.conda.io) is recommended if a single user needs one or multiple specific Python environments. But this is not part of this guide.

This guide is only for RHEL8 and newer.

## Python 3


In Hiera you can select the wished version of Python

```
base::python::version: '3.11'
```
The `python` as well as the `python3` command will then link to the interpreter of given version. The same is for `pip` and `pip3`.

### RHEL8
On RHEL8 the default Python version is **3.6**. Available are also
- 3.8
- 3.9
- 3.11
- 3.12

### RHEL9
On RHEL9 the default Python version is **3.9**. Available are also
- 3.11
- 3.12

### Libraries
The packages prefixed with `python3-` are for the default Python version. For newer versions they have a versioned prefix like `python38-` or `python3.11-`. There might not be for all libraries packages for all availabe Python versions. Then you might need to install your library with `pip`.

For package installation (including with `pip`) with Hiera please check out [this guide](packages).

Note that packages installed with `pip` are not updated automatically.

## Python 2
Don't use.


## Platform Python
For system tools, which are shared over many systems where maybe different Python versions are used by default, you may select to use "Platform Python" instead, which is always the default Python version, independed of what has been selected as default Python.

For this you need to set the shebang of your script to
```
#!/usr/libexec/platform-python
```