Updating Python on Ubuntu system

Question

I want to update the Python build on my Linux box, but the only way I know how to do it is uninstalling the current version and installing the new one. My system is already up to date (I updated yesterday). I wanted to know if there is a way to update a specific program from the command line, like sudo apt-get update <program-name>. I know this command doesn't exist, but I'm hoping something equivalent does.

Answer 1

As others already noted, bare sudo apt-get install package will install latest available version, replacing the older one if needed.

But with some software (among which is Python) the situation is somewhat different. Some major, very- and incompatibly-different versions get their own packages. For instance, Python 2.6, Python 2.7, Python 3.1 all live in separate packages on Ubuntu.

Of particular importance is the fact that one of Ubuntu policies is to extensively use Python for writing end-user software. So in fact, fairly large part of the system is written in Python. At the moment, the code runs on Python 2.6 — so this version is the default upon installation; and the code won't easily run on, say, Python 2.7 — because incompatibilities exist. To switch the system to Python 2.7 there needs to be done a piece of work, consisting of updating and re-testing all the scripts. This can't be done easily; that is, you can't just "switch" your system to Python 2.7 and delete the older version.

But. If you don't care about fancy gears of your system and just need newer Python — see no obstacles. Go and sudo apt-get install python3 and code for 3.x Python bravely; just remember to launch your scripts with python3 and use #!/usr/bin/env python3 shebang line.

Answer 2

You're close with thinking of a command like sudo apt-get update (which is an actual command, but doesn't do what you want it to.)

To upgrade Python, and everything else you have installed, just do the command:

sudo apt-get upgrade

Answer 3

apparently simply running apt-get install will do the trick

Answer 4

apt-get install python

I believe this should work. You will need to change 'python' to match the appropriate package name in your repository obviously.