Python 3.10.4 and 3.9.12 are now available out of schedule

Did anybody say cursed releases? Well, it turns out that 3.10.3 and 3.9.11 both shipped a regression which caused those versions not to build on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6. While this 11-year-old version is now out of maintenance support, it’s still used in production workloads. Some of those rely on Python 3.9 and/or 3.10. In particular, our own manylinux2010 image used to build widely compatible Linux wheels is based on CentOS 6. (Don’t worry, we do have newer manylinux* variants, see PEP 599 and PEP 600 for details.)

Due to the out-of-schedule release, the respective versions released today contain a very limited set of changes. Python 3.9.12 only contains 12 other bug fixes on top of 3.9.11. Python 3.10.4 only contains 10 other bug fixes on top of 3.10.3.

Get 3.10.4 here: Python Release Python 3.10.4 | Python.org
Get 3.9.12 here: Python Release Python 3.9.12 | Python.org

Hopefully, the third time’s a charm and we’ll return no sooner than May with the regularly scheduled bug fix releases of 3.9 and 3.10.

We hope you enjoy the new releases

Your friendly release team,
Łukasz Langa @ambv
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal
Ned Deily @nad
Steve Dower @steve.dower

Python 3.10.3, 3.9.11, 3.8.13, and 3.7.13 are now available with security content

Welcome again to the exciting world of releasing new Python versions!

Last time around I was complaining about cursed releases. This time around I could complain about security content galore and how one of them ruined my ingenious idea to release Python on Pi Day and call it Py Day. Well, you can’t have everything in life. Or at least not everything at once.

And yet it seems this time around we’ve got a lot of security fixes all at once. Just look at this list:

• 15 (sic!) CVEs: libexpat upgraded from 2.4.1 to 2.4.7 (BPO-46794, BPO-46932, BPO-46811, BPO-46784, BPO-46400)
• CVE-2022-0778: OpenSSL upgraded from 1.1.1l to 1.1.1n in macOS and Windows installers (BPO-47024)
• CVE-2016-3189, CVE-2019-12900: bzip2 upgraded from 1.0.6 to 1.0.8 in Windows installers (BPO-44549)
• CVE-2022-26488: Windows installer now ensures the correct path is being repaired when “Add to PATH” is used (BPO-46948)
• CVE-2021-28363: bundled pip upgraded from 21.2.4 to 22.0.4 (BPO-46985)
• authorization bypass fixed in urllib.request (BPO-46756)
• REDoS avoided in importlib.metadata (BPO-46474)
• SQLite upgraded from 3.36.0 to 3.37.2 in macOS and Windows installers (BPO-45925)

Python 3.10.3

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3103/

Python 3.10.3 is the third maintenance release of the newest version of the Python programming language, which contains many new features and optimizations. We recommend it over the other releases listed below.

This is a large bugfix release with 220 commits since 3.10.2. Just look at the change log!

The next maintenance release of Python 3.10 is planned for early June.

Python 3.9.11

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3911/

This is the penultimate planned full bugfix release of Python 3.9. In mid-May, we’ll be releasing the last one, after which the 3.9 series will enter its security-only fixes period. More details in PEP 596.

Python 3.9 is the first Python version since 2.7 to have a regular bugfix release larger than “.10”. It’s also still a significant release at 163 commits since 3.9.10. That’s in fact 30+ commits more than between 3.9.9 and 3.9.10. The change log isn’t as long as the 3.10.3 one but it’s still pretty extensive!

As a reminder, on macOS, the default installer is now the new universal2 variant. It’s compatible with Mac OS X 10.9 and newer, including macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS 12 Monterey. Python installed with this variant will work natively on Apple Silicon processors.

Python 3.8.13

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3813/

Changes here are almost exclusively security-only as the life cycle of Python versions prescribes. You might have noticed there is a small number of regular bug fixes nonetheless. This is because without those we wouldn’t be able to continue running the full test suite for the 3.8 branch. This in turn could hide regressions in future security fixes.

Python 3.7.13

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3713/

Just like 3.8, Python 3.7 is in its security-only fixes period. In turn, the changes in 3.7.13 look almost identical to the ones in 3.8.13.

Python 3.7 will continue to receive source-only releases until June 2023.

We hope you enjoy the new releases

Your friendly release team,
Łukasz Langa @ambv
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal
Ned Deily @nad
Steve Dower @steve.dower

Python 3.11.0a6 is available

There are no easy releases these days! :sweat: After a week of delay due to several release blockers, buildbot problems and pandemic-related difficulties here is 3.11.0a6 for you to test.

https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3110a6/

Major new features of the 3.11 series, compared to 3.10

Among the new major new features and changes so far:

• PEP 657 – Include Fine-Grained Error Locations in Tracebacks
• PEP 654 –  Exception Groups and except*
• PEP 673 –   Self Type
• PEP 646 –  Variadic Generics
• The Faster Cpython Project is already yielding some exciting results: this version of CPython 3.11 is ~19% faster on the geometric mean of the performance benchmarks, compared to 3.10.0.
(Hey, fellow core developer, if a feature you find important is missing from this list, let Pablo know.)

The next pre-release of Python 3.11 will be 3.11.0a7, currently scheduled for Tuesday, 2022-04-05.

More resources

• Online Documentation

• PEP 664, 3.11 Release Schedule
• Report bugs at https://bugs.python.org.

• Help fund Python and its community.

And now for something completely different

In astrophysics and nuclear physics, nuclear pasta is a theoretical type of degenerate matter that is postulated to exist within the crusts of neutron stars. If it does in fact exist, nuclear pasta is the strongest material in the universe. Between the surface of a neutron star and the quark-gluon plasma at the core, at matter densities of 1014 g/cm3, nuclear attraction and Coulomb repulsion forces are of similar magnitude. The competition between the forces leads to the formation of a variety of complex structures assembled from neutrons and protons. Astrophysicists call these types of structures nuclear pasta because the geometry of the structures resembles various types of pasta.

There are several phases of evolution (I swear these names are real), including the gnocchi phase, the spaghetti phase, the lasagna phase, the bucatini phase and the Swiss cheese phase.

We hope you enjoy the new releases!

Thanks to all of the many volunteers who help make Python Development and these releases possible! Please consider supporting our efforts by volunteering yourself or through organization contributions to the Python Software Foundation.

https://www.python.org/psf/

Your friendly release team,
Ned Deily @nad 
Steve Dower @steve.dower 
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal

Python 3.11.0a5 is available

We needed to tame some angry buildbots, but after a small fight, we won with just some scratches! Here you have a shiny new alpha release: Python 3.11.0a5.

https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3110a5/

Major new features of the 3.11 series, compared to 3.10

Among the new major new features and changes so far:

• PEP 657 – Include Fine-Grained Error Locations in Tracebacks
• PEP 654 –  Exception Groups and except*
• PEP 673 –   Self Type
• PEP 646 –  Variadic Generics
• The Faster Cpython Project is already yielding some exciting results: this version of CPython 3.11 is ~19% faster on the geometric mean of the performance benchmarks, compared to 3.10.0.
(Hey, fellow core developer, if a feature you find important is missing from this list, let Pablo know.)

The next pre-release of Python 3.11 will be 3.11.0a6, currently scheduled for Monday, 2022-02-28.

More resources

• Online Documentation

• PEP 664, 3.11 Release Schedule
• Report bugs at https://bugs.python.org.

• Help fund Python and its community.

And now for something completely different

In physics, the Poynting vector (Umov-Poynting vector) represents the directional energy flux (the energy transfer per unit area per unit time) or power flow of an electromagnetic field.  It is named after its discoverer John Henry Poynting who first derived it in 1884. Oliver Heaviside also discovered it independently in the more general form that recognises the freedom of adding the curl of an arbitrary vector field to the definition. The Poynting vector is used throughout electromagnetics in conjunction with Poynting's theorem, the continuity equation expressing conservation of electromagnetic energy, to calculate the power flow in electromagnetic fields.

We hope you enjoy the new releases!

Thanks to all of the many volunteers who help make Python Development and these releases possible! Please consider supporting our efforts by volunteering yourself or through organization contributions to the Python Software Foundation.

https://www.python.org/psf/

Your friendly release team,
Ned Deily @nad 
Steve Dower @steve.dower 
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal

Python 3.10.2, 3.9.10, and 3.11.0a4 are now available

Before we begin the usual round of release notes, please do note that the three new versions of Python released today do not contain Windows installers yet. This is temporary, due to a more complex than expected code signing certificate renewal.

We’ve held the releases all week while the situation is getting resolved but the urgency of 3.10.2 in particular made us release without the Windows installers after all. We apologize for the inconvenience and are doing everything we can to put the Windows installer in place as soon as possible.

We’re rooting for both Ee Durbin and Steve Dower who are helping us resolve this. Thanks for your hard work! Hopefully, by this time next week, this will only be a footnote in release management history.

The releases you’re looking at were all cursed in some way. What a way to start 2022! Besides the certificate hold up, Python 3.10.2 is an expedited release (you’ll want to upgrade, read below!), Python 3.11.0a4 had almost 20 (sic, twenty!) release blockers before being finally green, and Python 3.9.10 was made from a new M1 Mac on macOS Monterey which made the usually boring process quite a ride. We’re hoping 2022 won’t be this intense all year!

Python 3.10.2

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3102/

This is a special bugfix release ahead of schedule to address a memory leak that was happening on certain function calls when using Cython. The memory leak consisted of a small constant amount of bytes in certain function calls from Cython code. Although in most cases this was not very noticeable, it was very impactful for long-running applications and certain usage patterns. Check bpo-46347 for more information.

Upgrading existing Python 3.10 installations is highly recommended. Even though this is an expedited release, it still contains over 100 other bug fixes. See the change log for details.

The next Python 3.10 maintenance release will be 3.10.3, currently scheduled for 2022-04-04.

Python 3.9.10

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3910/

Python 3.9.10 is the ninth maintenance release of the legacy 3.9 series. Note: Python 3.10 is now the latest feature release series of Python 3.

Python 3.9 micro-releases enter double digits! There’s been 130 commits since 3.9.9 which is a higher number of fixes for this stage of the life cycle compared to 3.8. See the changelog for details on what changed.

As a reminder, on macOS, the default installer is now the new universal2 variant. It’s compatible with Mac OS X 10.9 and newer, including macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS 12 Monterey. Python installed with this variant will work natively on Apple Silicon processors.

The next Python 3.9 maintenance release will be 3.9.11, currently scheduled for Pi Day '22 (2022-03-14).

Python 3.11.0a4

Get it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3110a4/

Python 3.11 is still in development. This release, 3.11.0a4, is the fourth of seven planned alpha releases.

Alpha releases are intended to make it easier to test the current state of new features and bug fixes by the community, as well as to test the release process.

During the alpha phase, features may be added up until the start of the beta phase (2022-05-06) and, if necessary, may be modified or deleted up until the release candidate phase (2022-08-01). Please keep in mind that this is a preview release and its use is not recommended for production environments.

Many new features for Python 3.11 are still being planned and written. Among the new major new features and changes so far:

• PEP 657 – Include Fine-Grained Error Locations in Tracebacks
• PEP 654 – Exception Groups and except*
• The Faster CPython Project is already yielding some exciting results: this version of CPython 3.11 is ~ 19% faster on the geometric mean of the PyPerformance benchmarks, compared to 3.10.0.
• (Hey, fellow core developer, if a feature you find important is missing from this list, let Pablo know.)

The next pre-release of Python 3.11 will be 3.11.0a5, currently scheduled for Wednesday, 2022-02-02.

Python 3.6 is pining for the fjords

Python 3.6 is no more. It’s an ex-Python. It has ceased to be. On December 23rd 2021 is has reached its end-of-life phase after five successful years.

It’s been the first truly popular Python 3 release, introducing f-strings to the world and making big improvements to both asyncio (async generators!) and typing (variable annotations!).

We’d like to congratulate Ned Deily @nad on successfully driving the 3.6 series to completion as Release Manager. He’s not fully retired yet, as 3.7, which he is also managing, is still receiving security patches until June 2023.

We hope you enjoy the new releases

Your friendly release team,
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal
Łukasz Langa @ambv

Python 3.11.0a3 is available

You can tell that we are slowly getting closer to the first beta as the number of release blockers that we need to fix on every release starts to increase  But we did it! 

https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3110a1/

Major new features of the 3.11 series, compared to 3.10

Among the new major new features and changes so far:

• PEP 657 – Include Fine-Grained Error Locations in Tracebacks
• PEP 654 – PEP 654 – Exception Groups and except*
  
• The Faster Cpython Project is already yielding some exciting results: this version of CPython 3.11 is ~19% faster on the geometric mean of the performance benchmarks, compared to 3.10.0.
(Hey, fellow core developer, if a feature you find important is missing from this list, let Pablo know.)

The next pre-release of Python 3.11 will be 3.11.0a3, currently scheduled for 2022-01-03.

More resources

• Online Documentation

• PEP 664, 3.11 Release Schedule
• Report bugs at https://bugs.python.org.

• Help fund Python and its community.

And now for something completely different

Rayleigh scattering, named after the nineteenth-century British physicist Lord Rayleigh is the predominantly elastic scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation. For light frequencies well below the resonance frequency of the scattering particle, the amount of scattering is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the wavelength. Rayleigh scattering results from the electric polarizability of the particles. The oscillating electric field of a light wave acts on the charges within a particle, causing them to move at the same frequency. The particle, therefore, becomes a small radiating dipole whose radiation we see as scattered light. The particles may be individual atoms or molecules; it can occur when light travels through transparent solids and liquids but is most prominently seen in gases.

The strong wavelength dependence of the scattering means that shorter (blue) wavelengths are scattered more strongly than longer (red) wavelengths. This results in the indirect blue light coming from all regions of the sky.

We hope you enjoy the new releases!

Thanks to all of the many volunteers who help make Python Development and these releases possible! Please consider supporting our efforts by volunteering yourself or through organization contributions to the Python Software Foundation.

https://www.python.org/psf/

Your friendly release team,
Ned Deily @nad 
Steve Dower @steve.dower 
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal

Python 3.10.1 is available

I hope you like bug fixes, because we have a whole shipment of them! Python 3.10.1 is the first maintenance release of Python 3.10 as we have packed more than 330 commits of fixes and general improvements. You can get it here:

https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3101/

This is the first maintenance release of Python 3.10

Python 3.10.1 is the newest major release of the Python programming language, and it contains many new features and optimizations.

Major new features of the 3.10 series, compared to 3.9

Among the new major new features and changes so far:

• PEP 623 – Deprecate and prepare for the removal of the wstr member in PyUnicodeObject.

• PEP 604 – Allow writing union types as X | Y

• PEP 612 – Parameter Specification Variables

• PEP 626 – Precise line numbers for debugging and other tools.

• PEP 618 – Add Optional Length-Checking To zip.

• bpo-12782: Parenthesized context managers are now officially allowed.

• PEP 632 – Deprecate distutils module.

• PEP 613 – Explicit Type Aliases

• PEP 634 – Structural Pattern Matching: Specification

• PEP 635 – Structural Pattern Matching: Motivation and Rationale

• PEP 636 – Structural Pattern Matching: Tutorial

• PEP 644 – Require OpenSSL 1.1.1 or newer

• PEP 624 – Remove Py_UNICODE encoder APIs

• PEP 597 – Add optional EncodingWarning

More resources

• Online Documentation

• PEP 619, 3.10 Release Schedule

• Report bugs at https://bugs.python.org.

• Help fund Python and its community.

bpo-38605: from __future__ import annotations (PEP 563) used to be on this list in previous pre-releases but it has been postponed to Python 3.11 due to some compatibility concerns. You can read the Steering Council communication about it here to learn more.

And now for something completely different

The Meissner effect (or Meissner–Ochsenfeld effect) is the expulsion of a magnetic field from a superconductor during its transition to the superconducting state when it is cooled below the critical temperature. This expulsion will repel a nearby magnet. The German physicists Walther Meissner and Robert Ochsenfeld discovered this phenomenon in 1933 by measuring the magnetic field distribution outside superconducting tin and lead samples. The experiment demonstrated for the first time that superconductors were more than just perfect conductors and provided a uniquely defining property of the superconductor state. The ability for the expulsion effect is determined by the nature of equilibrium formed by the neutralization within the unit cell of a superconductor.

You can do very cool things with it!

We hope you enjoy the new releases!

Thanks to all of the many volunteers who help make Python Development and these releases possible! Please consider supporting our efforts by volunteering yourself or through organization contributions to the Python Software Foundation.

https://www.python.org/psf/

Your friendly release team,
Ned Deily @nad 
Steve Dower @steve.dower 
Pablo Galindo Salgado @pablogsal