How to Check Python Version for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Check Python Version: Script

You can use a script to check the Python version installed on a machine. By doing so, we may discover the precise version number and other details about the Python interpreter currently being utilised. The main, minor, and micro version numbers, the release level, and the serial number can all be retrieved by running the script.

i) Various information string: sys.version :

 The `sys.version` information string is a variable within Python's `sys` module, designed to furnish the version number and supplementary details pertaining to the installed Python interpreter. This string encompasses the version number, build particulars, and various additional information.

Script:

import sys

# Print the sys.version information string
print(sys.version)

 

Output:

ii) Tuple of version numbers: sys.version_info :

In Python's `sys` module, `sys.version_info` is a tuple consisting of individual integers that represent the version number of the Python interpreter. The tuple follows the format (major, minor, micro, releaselevel, serial). For instance, the tuple (3, 9, 2, 'final', 0) corresponds to Python version 3.9.2.

Script:

import sys

# Print the sys.version_info tuple
print(sys.version_info)

 

Output:

iii) Version number string: platform.python_version() :

The `platform.python_version()` function, part of the `platform` module, facilitates obtaining a concise representation of the Python interpreter's version number. It furnishes a streamlined version number devoid of supplementary details or build information. As an illustration, its output could manifest as '3.9.2'.

Script:

import platform

# Print the Python version number string
print(platform.python_version())

 

Output:

iv) Tuple of version number strings: platform.python_version_tuple() :

platform.python_version_tuple() is a function in the platform module that returns a tuple containing the version number of the Python interpreter as individual strings. The tuple has the same format as sys.version_info, but each element is a string instead of an integer. For example, ('3', '9', '2', 'final', '0').

Script:

import platform

# Print the Python version number tuple as strings
print(platform.python_version_tuple())

 

Output:

Also see, Swapcase in Python, and  Convert String to List Python
 

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Check Python Version: Integrated Development Environments (IDE)

To check the Python version in integrated development environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio Code or PyCharm, open the integrated terminal and run the command python --version or python -V. The terminal will display the installed Python version.

i) Checking Python Versions in Visual Studio Code

• Open Visual Studio Code: Launch Visual Studio Code if it's not already running.
   
• Create or Open a Python File: You can create a new Python file or open an existing one by going to "File" > "Open File" or "File" > "New File" and saving it with a .py extension.
   
• Open the Integrated Terminal: To check your Python version, you'll need to access the integrated terminal in Visual Studio Code. You can do this by going to "View" > "Integrated Terminal."
   
• Run the Python Version Command: In the integrated terminal, type the following command and press Enter:

python --version

 

• Check the Output: The output in the terminal will show the Python version.

ii) Checking the Python version in PyCharm

• Open PyCharm: Launch PyCharm if it's not already running.
   
• Create or Open a Python Project: You can create a new Python project or open an existing one.
   
• Open the Terminal: To check your Python version, you'll need to access the terminal in PyCharm. You can do this by going to "View" > "Tool Windows" > "Terminal."
   
• Run the Python Version Command: In the terminal, type the following command and press Enter:

python --version

 

• Alternatively, you can use the following command to get more detailed version information:

python -V

 

• Check the Output: The output in the terminal will show the Python version.
   

What are the Different Python Versions?

Python has gone through several major versions, each with its own improvements and features. These are the significant Python versions:

• Python 1.0 (January 26, 1994): The initial release of Python, laying the foundation for the language.
   
• Python 2.x Series (2000-2010): This series introduced many features and became widely adopted. Versions like Python 2.5, and 2.7 were popular.
   
• Python 3.0 (December 3, 2008): A major overhaul with backward-incompatible changes to improve language consistency and remove redundancies.
   
• Python 3.x Series (2008-Present): A series of releases with continued improvements. Python 3.9 was released in October 2020.
   

Python Versions	Release Date
Python 1.0	January 1994
Python 1.5	December 31, 1997
Python 1.6	September 5, 2000
Python 2.0	October 16, 2000
Python 2.1	April 17, 2001
Python 2.2	December 21, 2001
Python 2.3	July 29, 2003
Python 2.4	November 30, 2004
Python 2.5	September 19, 2006
Python 2.6	October 1, 2008
Python 2.7	July 3, 2010
Python 3.0	December 3, 2008
Python 3.1	June 27, 2009
Python 3.2	February 20, 2011
Python 3.3	September 29, 2012
Python 3.4	March 16, 2014
Python 3.5	September 13, 2015
Python 3.6	December 23, 2016
Python 3.7	June 27, 2018
Python 3.8	October 14, 2019

How to Update Python version to the latest version?

To update Python to the latest version, download the latest installer from the official Python website and run it, ensuring to add Python to your system's PATH during installation.

Upgrade Python on Windows:

• Visit the Python Website: Go to the official Python website and download the latest Python installer for Windows.
   
• Run the Installer: Run the downloaded installer. Make sure to check the box that says "Add Python X.X to PATH" during installation. This step ensures Python is added to your system's PATH environment variable.
   
• Complete Installation: Follow the installation prompts, and Python will be upgraded to the latest version.
   
• Verify Installation: Open Command Prompt and type python --version to verify that the new Python version is installed.

Upgrade Python on MacOS:

• Open Terminal: Launch the Terminal app on your Mac.
   
• Check Current Version: Verify your current Python version by running python --version or python3 --version.
   
• Install Homebrew (if not already installed): If you don't have Homebrew, you can install it by following the instructions at https://brew.sh/.
   
• Upgrade Python: Use Homebrew to upgrade Python by running the following commands:

brew upgrade python

Upgrade Python on Linux:

• Open Terminal: Launch your terminal application.
   
• Update Package List: Update your package list to ensure you're getting the latest version of Python:

sudo apt update

 

• Upgrade Python: Upgrade Python using the following command:

sudo apt install python3 --reinstall

What if Your Computer has Multiple Python Versions Installed?

Having multiple Python versions installed on your computer allows you to work with different versions of Python for compatibility with various projects or applications. However, it can lead to challenges in managing dependencies and ensuring that the correct version is used for each project.

To address this, you can utilize virtual environments, such as venv or virtualenv, which enable you to create isolated environments for each project with its own Python version and dependencies. This ensures that each project runs with the appropriate Python version without interfering with others.

Additionally, tools like pyenv allow you to manage multiple Python versions globally on your system, making it easier to switch between versions as needed.

Python 2 vs Python 3

Here’s a table differentiating Python2 and Python3 on various factors: 

	Python 2	Python 3
Print Statement	Uses print as a statement	Uses print() as a function
Division	Integer division by default (5/2 = 2)	Float division by default (5/2 = 2.5)
Unicode Handling	Uses ASCII as default encoding	Uses Unicode (UTF-8) as default encoding
Syntax	Allows both parentheses and no parentheses for print	Requires parentheses for print
String Handling	Uses ASCII strings by default	Uses Unicode strings by default
Exception Handling	Uses the except ExceptionType, e syntax	Uses the except ExceptionType as e syntax
Iteration	Uses xrange() for efficient looping	Uses range() for looping
Libraries	Many libraries are only compatible with Python 2	Libraries are being updated to support Python 3

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we have 2 Python versions in Windows?

Yes, you can have multiple Python versions on Windows by installing them in separate directories. Make sure to specify the desired version when running Python commands.

Which Python version is best for Windows 10?

For Windows 10, it's recommended to use the latest stable release of Python, which is currently Python 3.x. As of now, Python 3.10 is the latest stable version, offering improved performance, security updates, and new features compared to earlier versions.

How to upgrade the Python version in cmd?

To update the Python version on the command prompt or CMD, use the pip package manager. In order to upgrade to the most recent version of Python, open CMD and type "pip install --upgrade python".

Which version of Python should I use?

You should use the latest stable release of Python, which is Python 3.x. As of now, Python 3.10 is the latest stable version, offering improved performance, security updates, and new features compared to earlier versions.

Conclusion

In this article, we have learned how to check Python version in CMD in Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. You can visit the official website of Python to download it.

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