Python - Install from Source - Local#

This tutorial is about installing the latest versions of python from the source into the users home folder as opposed to a server-wide install. Normally /opt/python/python-3.6.1 would be the best choice for the installation. In this case, installing locally is fine as well.

References#

Dependencies#

To build from source, you will need the build essentials:

$ sudo apt-get install build-essential

You should also install the following dependencies:

$ sudo apt-get install libsqlite3-dev
$ sudo apt-get install sqlite3
$ sudo apt-get install bzip2 libbz2-dev
$ sudo apt-get install libncursesw5-dev

$ sudo apt-get install lzma-dev liblz-dev liblzma-dev
$ sudo apt-get install tk8.6-dev  # <-----<<<< This is for ubuntu 14.04
$ sudo apt-get install libreadline6 libreadline6-dev
$ sudo apt-get install libssl-dev
$ sudo apt-get install libgdbm-dev
$ sudo apt-get install libc6-dev
$ sudo apt-get install tk-dev

$ sudo apt-get install libdb-dev
$ sudo apt-get install tcl-dev
$ sudo apt-get install libreadline6-dev

Note: You may need to install other dependencies, later on, to properly build python 3.x.

Download Source#

Download and compile Python:

$ mkdir ~/tmp/compile
$ cd ~/tmp/compile
$ wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.6.1/Python-3.6.1.tar.xz
$ tar xf ./Python-3.6.1.tar.xz
$ cd ./Python-3.6.1

Upgrading Python#

With each new release of Python that you want to install, whether it be a completely new version or a minor upgrade. Simply follow the process and install to a new folder. The virtualenv will take care of the rest.

Adjusting Setup#

http://stackoverflow.com/a/15013895

If you have problems building and it is related to zlib:

Edit ./Modules/Setup.dist and uncomment the line:

zlib zlibmodule.c -I$(prefix)/include -L$(exec_prefix)/lib -lz

Install Python#

$ ./configure --enable-optimizations --prefix=/home/troy/opt/python/python-3.6.1

Note: The configure line with the –prefix option set. The build script is instructed to install python to that particular folder. We can use a Virtualenv to accomplish the same thing, however, it would be overkill in my situation. I just need a separate python 3.6 installation that doesn’t interfere with the version that the system uses.

$ make

Note: After running make, check to see if it complains about any dependencies that are missing. Once the dependencies are installed, run make again to confirm. The dependencies can be installed from the repos.

$ make test
$ make install
$ make clean

NOTE: for make install you shouldn’t need to invoke sudo as we are installing it in a local folder

Testing:

$ ./~/opt/python/python-3.6.1/bin/python3

Python 3.6.1 (default, May  7 2017, 11:49:10)
[GCC 5.4.0 20160609] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

Creating the Virtual Environments#

https://pymotw.com/3/venv/

In the past, I would have a file in the bin folder of my home directory that linked to the python executable. This time we will be configuring virtual environments for our scripts to run.

Create the folder where will store the virtual environments

$ mkdir .envs

Create a test environment:

$ ./ opt/python/python-3.6.1/bin/python3 -m venv ~/.envs/test

Activate the environment:

$ source .envs/test/bin/activate

Test python out:

(test):$ python
Python 3.6.1 (default, May  7 2017, 11:49:10)
[GCC 5.4.0 20160609] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> exit()

Deactivate the virtual environment:

(test):$ deactivate

$

Scipy Stack#

This is a general purpose scientific computing stack that I use.

Make the environment:

$ ./opt/python/python-3.6.1/bin/python3 -m venv ~/.envs/jupyter5

Activate the environment:

$ source .envs/jupyter5/bin/activate

Install the bits that I need:

(jupyter5):$ pip install numpy scipy matplotlib ipython jupyter pandas sympy nose seaborn

(jupyter5):$ pip install notebook jupyter_nbextensions_configurator yapf widgetsnbextension

After the items are installed, generate a requirements file. You should do this when new python modules are added or removed. Generate the requirements file:

(jupyter5):$ cd .envs/jupyter5

(jupyter5):$ pip freeze > requirements.txt

NOTE: Recreate the requirements file when there are changes to the system.

Upgrade pip packages#

$ pip install -r requirements.txt --upgrade
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