Which Python versions can be safely removed from Ubuntu 20.04?

Question

I have the following versions of Python on my laptop running Ubuntu 20.04:

python2
python3.10
python3.9
python3-pasteurize
python2.7
python3.8
python3-config
python-argcomplete-check-easy-install-script
python3
python3.8-config
python3-futurize
python-argcomplete-tcsh

I know that Ubuntu relies on some of those, which ones can I safely remove?

EDIT: As asked in the comments, here is the output of ls -l /usr/bin/python[23]* /usr/local/bin/python[23]* :

ls: cannot access '/usr/local/bin/python[23]*': No such file or directory
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 Mar 13  2020  /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3674216 Mar  8  2021  /usr/bin/python2.7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 Mar 12  2021  /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.8
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5454136 Oct  5 00:09  /usr/bin/python3.10
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5490488 Sep 28 18:10  /usr/bin/python3.8
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      33 Sep 28 18:10  /usr/bin/python3.8-config -> x86_64-linux-gnu-python3.8-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5405872 Sep 10 01:20  /usr/bin/python3.9
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      16 Mar 13  2020  /usr/bin/python3-config -> python3.8-config
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root     384 Mar 28  2020  /usr/bin/python3-futurize
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root     388 Mar 28  2020  /usr/bin/python3-pasteurize

I can guarantee you will need the 2 connected to python2 and python3 (those are symlinks). All others are up for you to decide. "safe" is relative... it will remove all connected apps if you delete 3.10. Not a problem to me but you might disagree ;-) — Rinzwind, Oct 18 '21 at 08:39
So python3.8 and python3.9 can be removed without breaking my Ubuntu install, right ? — Joris Limonier, Oct 18 '21 at 08:44
Yes, that's much better. Also add the output of ls -l /usr/bin/python[23]* /usr/local/bin/python[23]*, please. — muru, Oct 18 '21 at 09:18
The default python version in Ubuntu 20.04 is 3.8, do not remove that. How did you install so many versions of python? — Archisman Panigrahi, Oct 18 '21 at 10:17
@JorisLimonier no. see the symlinks. 2.7 and 3.8 are needed by the system itself. — Rinzwind, Oct 18 '21 at 10:18
@Rinzwind the system does not depend on python2, it was installed by the OP (directly or as a dependency). ;-) — Artur Meinild, Oct 18 '21 at 10:20
You've actually only got four versions of Python: 2.7, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.10. Everything else is either not Python, or is a synonym for one of those four. — Mark, Oct 19 '21 at 22:16
@JorisLimonier Python2 is not installed on 20.04 by default, therefore it should be safe to remove since it's installed by the user. — Artur Meinild, Oct 21 '21 at 06:50

score 16 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 20 '21 at 17:21

16

These 2 are important:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 Mar 13  2020  /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 Mar 12  2021  /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.8

Anything started with python2 expects python 2.7 to be there. And the same goes for python3: it expects python3.8. To be on the safe side: keep python2.7 too; it might not be needed but removing it can break the system.

All others are manually added versions. Removing those will keep the system working but it will delete all software relates to it. So do inspect the packages when you do apt purge or apt remove. If you plan to delete 2.7 too do take extra attention on what the system will delete along with it.

edited Oct 20 '21 at 17:21

wjandrea

14,236
4
48
98

answered Oct 18 '21 at 10:20

Rinzwind

299,756

I once installed Midnight Commander on my 20.04, and it installed Python 2.7 as a dependency. However, both MC and Python 2 could be removed again without any issue, – Artur Meinild Oct 18 '21 at 10:26
1

Hmmm that would do it indeed. Just a matter of looking at the suggestions it shows when purging/removing. Most ppl just type Y without looking (as do I :-) ) – Rinzwind Oct 18 '21 at 10:35
It'd help to clarify that /usr/bin/python2.7 and /usr/bin/python3.8 are the targets of these symlinks. Newbies might not realize that -> python2.7 means a relative symlink. – wjandrea Oct 20 '21 at 17:23

score 15 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 18 '21 at 21:53

15

You can also run apt rdepends --installed python3.9 to find out what packages depend on python3.9.

Example output of apt rdepends --installed python3.8 as this is the version installed on my machine:

python3.8
Reverse Depends:
  python3.8-minimal
  python3.8-minimal
  python3-uno
  rhythmbox-plugins
  python3.8-minimal
  python3
  python3-uno
  xviewer-plugins

answered Oct 18 '21 at 21:53

Dion

151

To be clear, python3 is the important one there. If you run apt rdepends --installed python3, you'll see a huge list, for example gnome-shell and ubuntu-minimal. – wjandrea Oct 20 '21 at 17:35
@wjandrea Isn't python3 just a symbolic link that points to a specific version, e.g. python3 -> python3.8 in OP's ls -l? So theoretically you can make it point to any python3.x version you would like. I say theoretically because I don't know what are the breaking changes in 3.8 vs 3.9 vs 3.10, but I suppose there are some. – Dion Oct 20 '21 at 21:48
1

If you change the symlink, things will break, like Gnome Terminal for example. IIRC, this is because the system libraries like _gi are built for a specific version. Plus there are a few breaking changes, yeah (ref: 3.9, 3.10). – wjandrea Oct 20 '21 at 23:03
Interesting, thanks for the info! – Dion Oct 21 '21 at 19:24

Artur Meinild · Answer 3 · 2021-10-18T10:25:04.870

14

The default Python version in Ubuntu 20.04 is Python 3.8. All other versions are something you installed yourself (or a dependency of something you installed).

So the system will only depend on 3.8, but other applications or projects you have may depend on the other versions (including Python 2/2.7).

edited Oct 18 '21 at 10:25

answered Oct 18 '21 at 10:19

Artur Meinild

26,018

Which Python versions can be safely removed from Ubuntu 20.04?

3 Answers3