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To update run pyenv update.

Files

These are the files / directories that are created and/or modified with this install:

~/.config/envman/PATH.env
~/.pyenv/bin/
~/.pyenv/shims/

# pyenv also loads shell hooks via
~/.bashrc
~/.config/fish/config.fish
~/.zshrc

How to Install pyenv on macOS

Install Xcode tools first:

xcode-select --install

How to Install pyenv on Linux

Make sure that you already have the necessary build tools installed:

# required
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential zlib1g-dev libssl-dev

# recommended
sudo apt install -y libreadline-dev libsqlite3-dev \
                    libffi-dev libbz2-dev liblzma-dev

Cheat Sheet

pyenv lets you install and switch between different versions of python as the logged in user. It doesn't require admin permissions, and doesn't interfere with your system version of python.

Be sure to follow the onscreen instructions after the install (and the pre-requisites above).

Here's how you can check for the latest version:

pyenv install --list | grep -E '^\s+[0-9.]+$' | tail -n 1
#>   3.10.7

And install it:

pyenv install -v 3.10.7
#> Installed Python-3.10.7 to ~/.pyenv/versions/3.10.7

And use it:

pyenv global 3.10.7
python --version
#> Python 3.10.7

Revert back to your system python:

pyenv global system

List all available python version

pyenv install --list

  3.10.7
  activepython-3.6.0
  anaconda3-2020.11
  graalpython-20.3.0
  ironpython-2.7.7
  jython-2.7.2
  micropython-1.13
  miniforge3-4.9.2
  pypy3.7-7.3.3
  pyston-0.6.1
  stackless-3.7.5

Install Python versions

pyenv install <version>
pyenv rehash

pyenv versions

List installed versions:

pyenv versions

pyenv local

Pin an application to a specific Python version:

pyenv local 2.7.6

Unset the local version:

pyenv local --unset

(setting the version works per-folder)

List existing virtualenvs

pyenv virtualenvs

Create virtualenv

From current version with name "venv35":

pyenv virtualenv venv35

From version 2.7.10 with name "venv27":

pyenv virtualenv 2.7.10
venv27

Activate/deactivate

pyenv activate <name>
pyenv deactivate

Delete existing virtualenv

pyenv uninstall venv27