Python 3.6 Debian stretch backport

Unofficial Python 3.6.3 backports for Debian stretch.

Usage

If you just want to grab pre-built Debian packages, you can find them in the Releases tab on GitHub. Download the ones you want, then run sudo dpkg -i *.deb to install them.

For example, a typical installation could look like this:

$ wget https://github.com/chriskuehl/python3.6-debian-stretch/releases/download/v3.6.3-1-deb9u1/{python3.6_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64,python3.6-minimal_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64,python3.6-dev_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64,libpython3.6_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64,libpython3.6-minimal_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64,libpython3.6-stdlib_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64,libpython3.6-dev_3.6.3-1.deb9u1_amd64}.deb
$ sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Building from source

To build from source, clone this repo and run make builddeb on a machine running Debian stretch. It follows roughly these backporting instructions in order to build a proper backport of Python 3.6 on stretch.

Building from source is relatively fast (~15 minutes) and is recommended for anyone who has a healthy distrust of pre-built binaries from a random internet stranger.

FAQ

Can this be installed alongside the default Python 3 on stretch (3.5.3)?

Yes. These packages provide a binary /usr/bin/python3.6. They do not replace the default python3 binary on stretch.

For example, to create a virtualenv, you would use virtualenv -ppython3.6 venv.

What happens when I upgrade from stretch to buster (the next Debian stable, currently unreleased)?

Your packages will be replaced with the python3.6 packages in buster. These packages have the same names but "inferior" version numbers, so they'll get upgraded to the official packages.

What about backports for Ubuntu?

Try the very well-maintained deadsnakes PPA.

Their code can also be used for Debian via packaging deadsnakes in a Docker container, so you get a choice of Python 3.6 / 3.7 / 3.8 on all four releases as of February 2020: Buster, Bionic, Stretch, and Xenial.