Adding Python3.11

Table of Contents

Sometimes, you just need Python 3.11 to work.

Here’s the way to downgrade Python version from Python version 3.12 by install an alternate Python version (3.11).

Alternate Python Version
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Noble (Ubuntu 24.04) does come with Python 3.12 by default. In some cases, we may need another Python version, such as 3.11, to work better.

Here are the steps to install alternative Python version (3.11) into Noble.

Add repo and install Python 3.11

xx@pf24:~% sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
xx@pf24:~% sudo apt update
xx@pf24:~% sudo apt install python3.11

Install necessary Python utilities

xx@pf24:~% sudo apt install -y python3-pip
xx@pf24:~% sudo apt install -y python3.11-venv
xx@pf24:~% sudo apt install -y python3-virtualenv

Manage multiple Python versions

xx@pf24:~% sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.12 1
xx@pf24:~% sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python3 python3 /usr/bin/python3.11 2

View all available Python versions installed

xx@pf24:~% sudo update-alternatives --config python3
There are 2 choices for the alternative python3 (providing /usr/bin/python3).

  Selection    Path                 Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/python3.11   2         auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/python3.11   2         manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/python3.12   1         manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

xx@pf24:~% python3 --version
Python 3.11.12

Create virtual environment for testing

xx@pf24:~% mkdir appl
xx@pf24:~% cd appl
xx@pf24:~/appl% python3 -m venv venv
xx@pf24:~/appl% source venv/bin/activate
(venv) xx@pf24:~/appl% python3 --version
Python 3.11.12
(venv) xx@pf24:~/appl% deactivate
xx@pf24:~/appl% 
xx@pf24:~/appl% virtualenv newenv
created virtual environment CPython3.11.12.final.0-64 in 1414ms
  creator CPython3Posix(dest=/home/xx/appl/newenv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False)
  seeder FromAppData(download=False, pip=bundle, setuptools=bundle, wheel=bundle, via=copy, app_data_dir=/home/xx/.local/share/virtualenv)
    added seed packages: pip==24.0, setuptools==68.1.2, wheel==0.42.0
  activators BashActivator,CShellActivator,FishActivator,NushellActivator,PowerShellActivator,PythonActivator
xx@pf24:~/appl% ls
newenv/  venv/
xx@pf24:~/appl% source newenv/bin/activate
(newenv) xx@pf24:~/appl% python3 --version
Python 3.11.12
(newenv) xx@pf24:~/appl% deactivate
xx@pf24:~/appl%