#!/linuxSucks/Change Python Version
Aug 30, 2020Debian is still delivered with 2.7 as the default version of python. /usr/bin/python is in fact a symlink to the current default versions binary.
The update-alternatives scripts allows to change this.
ls -l /usr/bin/python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Nov 24 2017 /usr/bin/python -> python2.7
Check with versions are already installed
dpkg -l | grep python
The output will be something like this
...
ii python2.7
...
ii python3
...
ii python3.5
...
Check what are the python versions in /usr/bin/
ls -l /usr/bin/python*
The output will be something like this
/usr/bin/python -> python2.7
/usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7
/usr/bin/python2.7
/usr/bin/python3 -> python3.5
/usr/bin/python3.5
Python 2.7 and 3.5 are installed. python3 is a symlink to 3.5
To set python 3.5 as default use the update-alternatives scripts. You can set more alternatives the last number defines the priority. Higher number means higher priority.
update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python2.7 1
update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3.5 2
if you want to set python3.5 to be the priority change it to number 1
After setting more then one alternatives you can easily switch the version by running
update-alternatives --config python
You need sudo privilege to run the last commands.