On January 1, 2020, the two.x department of the Python programming language will not be supported by its creators, the Python Software Foundation. This date will mark the fruits of a drama that has stretched on for years—the transition from an older, much less succesful, extensively used model of Python to a more recent, extra highly effective model that also trails its predecessor in adoption.
It’s excessive time. Python 3, with numerous technical and end-user enhancements over Python 2, has by no means been in a greater place to completely displace Python 2. The overwhelming majority of widespread packages hosted within the PyPI repository, the first-stop store for reusable Python code, assist Python 3. Python Three has change into the default Python interpreter for a lot of Linux distributions. And most each latest e-book, coding academy, and on-line tutorial recommends Python Three for freshmen.
Now the dangerous information. Python 2, like Windows 7 (or Windows XP!), can be with us for years to come back. Many of us will proceed to depend on apps written in Python 2. Some of us will even proceed to make use of Python 2 for brand spanking new apps, as a consequence of inside restrictions. What must you do should you’re caught with Python 2 in what’s quick turning into a Python Three world? Let’s take a look at the choices.
Python 2 finish of life: What it means
The first and most essential factor to grasp about Python 2 going EOL (finish of life): Python 2 purposes will nonetheless run. Don’t consider this as a Millennium Bug difficulty, the place Python 2 purposes all magically grind to a halt on January 1, 2020. There simply gained’t be any extra official assist for Python 2 from the core Python growth workforce.
Here is what the Python 2 EOL means in sensible phrases:
