Python 3 Is Close To Becoming The Default In Fedora 22

For Python stakeholders using Fedora, the Fedora 22 release is preparing to ship Python 3 as the one and only Python implementation on the installation media.

One of the approved Fedora 22 features has been making Python 3 the default in the form of being the only Python implementation on Fedora's LiveCD and minimal buildroot environment. This change also involves porting all key Fedora components written in Python 2 over to Python 3.

Among the Python 2 users right now in Fedora are the Anaconda installer, cloud-init, and Yum. With Yum it's not an issue anymore since DNF is going ahead to become the default package manager of Fedora 22 and it's already based in Python 3. The other existing Python 2 Fedora components are still being ported over to Py3. For those still having their own Python 2 code to run on Fedora, Python 2 will be available via the Fedora repository but not part of the default install media.

Bohuslav Kabrda of Red Hat provided a status update on the Python 3 change for Fedora 22 and he concluded in his email, "All in all, I think we're in a good shape and I suggest that we move on by building all current 'applications' (those that are Python 3 compatible in upstream) with Python 3. I already suggested a change to Python guidelines that all *new* 'applications' should be built with Python 3 if possible."

Fedora 22 is expected for release in mid-May.