2.1. Getting and installing the latest version of Python¶

2.2. Building Python¶

If you want to compile CPython yourself, first thing you should do is get the source. You can download either the latest release’s source or grab a fresh clone. You will also need to install the build requirements.

The build process consists of the usual commands:

./configure
make
make install

Configuration options and caveats for specific Unix platforms are extensively documented in the README.rst file in the root of the Python source tree.

2.3. Python-related paths and files¶

These are subject to difference depending on local installation conventions; prefix and exec_prefix are installation-dependent and should be interpreted as for GNU software; they may be the same.

For example, on most Linux systems, the default for both is /usr.

2.4. Miscellaneous¶

To easily use Python scripts on Unix, you need to make them executable, e.g. with

$ chmod +x script

and put an appropriate Shebang line at the top of the script. A good choice is usually

#!/usr/bin/env python3

which searches for the Python interpreter in the whole PATH. However, some Unices may not have the env command, so you may need to hardcode /usr/bin/python3 as the interpreter path.

To use shell commands in your Python scripts, look at the subprocess module.

2.5. Custom OpenSSL¶

1. To use your vendor’s OpenSSL configuration and system trust store, locate the directory with openssl.cnf file or symlink in /etc. On most distribution the file is either in /etc/ssl or /etc/pki/tls. The directory should also contain a cert.pem file and/or a certs directory.

   $ find /etc/ -name openssl.cnf -printf "%h\n"
   /etc/ssl
   

2. Download, build, and install OpenSSL. Make sure you use install_sw and not install. The install_sw target does not override openssl.cnf.

   $ curl -O https://www.openssl.org/source/openssl-VERSION.tar.gz
   $ tar xzf openssl-VERSION.tar.gz
   $ pushd openssl-VERSION
   $ ./config \
       --prefix=/usr/local/custom-openssl \
       --libdir=lib \
       --openssldir=/etc/ssl
   $ make -j1 depend
   $ make -j8
   $ make install_sw
   $ popd
   

3. Build Python with custom OpenSSL (see the configure --with-openssl and --with-openssl-rpath options)

   $ pushd python-3.x.x
   $ ./configure -C \
       --with-openssl=/usr/local/custom-openssl \
       --with-openssl-rpath=auto \
       --prefix=/usr/local/python-3.x.x
   $ make -j8
   $ make altinstall