Python Versions¶
Since Python 3.9: PEP 602 -- Annual Release Cycle for Python
New Python release every 12 months (1 year)
12 months (1 year) release cycle
18 months (1.5 year) of bugfix updates
42 months (3.5 year) of security updates
Python Release Cycle¶
Since Python 3.9: PEP 602 -- Annual Release Cycle for Python
12 months (1 year) release cycle
18 months (1.5 year) of bugfix updates
42 months (3.5 year) of security updates

Figure 1. Python 12 months release cycle.¶
Which Version?¶
You should use newest official Python version [4]
Version |
PEP |
Status |
Release |
End-of-life |
Release Manager |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3.13 |
future |
2024-10-01 |
2029-10 |
Thomas Wouters |
|
3.12 |
features |
2023-10-03 |
2028-10 |
Thomas Wouters |
|
3.11 |
bugfix |
2022-10-24 |
2027-10 |
Pablo Galindo Salgado |
|
3.10 |
bugfix |
2021-10-04 |
2026-10 |
Pablo Galindo Salgado |
|
3.9 |
security |
2020-10-05 |
2025-10 |
Łukasz Langa |
|
3.8 |
security |
2019-10-20 |
2024-10 |
Łukasz Langa |
|
3.7 |
security |
2018-06-27 |
2023-06-27 |
Ned Deily |
|
3.6 |
end-of-life |
2016-12-23 |
2021-12-23 |
Ned Deily |
|
3.5 |
end-of-life |
2015-09-13 |
2020-09-13 |
Larry Hastings |
|
3.4 |
end-of-life |
2014-03-16 |
2019-03-16 |
Larry Hastings |
|
3.3 |
end-of-life |
2012-09-29 |
2017-09-29 |
Georg Brandl |
|
3.2 |
end-of-life |
2011-02-20 |
2016-02-20 |
Georg Brandl |
|
3.1 |
end-of-life |
2009-06-27 |
2012-04-09 |
Benjamin Peterson |
|
3.0 |
end-of-life |
2008-12-03 |
2009-01-13 |
Barry Warsaw |
|
2.7 |
end-of-life |
2010-07-03 |
2020-04-20 |
Benjamin Peterson |
|
2.6 |
end-of-life |
2008-10-01 |
2013-10-29 |
Barry Warsaw |
- features¶
new features, bugfixes, and security fixes are accepted.
- prerelease¶
feature fixes, bugfixes, and security fixes are accepted for the upcoming feature release.
- bugfix¶
bugfixes and security fixes are accepted, new binaries are still released. (Also called maintenance mode or stable release)
- security¶
only security fixes are accepted and no more binaries are released, but new source-only versions can be released
- end-of-life¶
release cycle is frozen; no further changes can be pushed to it.