Python 3.8
Summary
Update the Python stack in Fedora from Python 3.7 to Python 3.8.
Owner
- Name: Miro Hrončok
- Email: python-maint@redhat.com
- Release notes owner:
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora 32
- Last updated: 2019-11-21
- Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
- Release notes tracker: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
Detailed Description
We would like to upgrade Python to 3.8 in Fedora 31 Fedora 32 thus we are proposing this plan early.
See the upstream notes at Features for 3.8 and What's new in 3.8.
Important dates and plan (updated for Fedora 32)
- 2019-02-03 Python 3.8.0 alpha 1
- Package it as
for testing purposespython38
- Start the bootstrap procedure in Copr
- Do a mass rebuild against every future release in Copr
- Package it as
- 2019-06-04 Python 3.8.0 beta 1 (was: 2019-05-27)
- 2019-07-04 Python 3.8.0 beta 2 (was: 2019-07-01)
2019-07-24 expected Fedora 31 mass rebuild- 2019-07-29 Python 3.8.0 beta 3
- 2019-08-13 expected Fedora 31 branching (Rawhide becomes future Fedora 32)
- after branching, we can start building in Fedora 32 side tag
- 2019-08-21 The side tag was merged
- 2019-08-26 Python 3.8.0 beta 4
2019-08-29 expected Fedora 31 beta freeze- 2019-09-30 Python 3.8.0 candidate 1
- 2019-10-07 Python 3.8.0 candidate 2 (if necessary)
2019-10-08 expected Fedora 31 final freeze- 2019-10-21 Python 3.8.0 final
- 2020-01-24 expected Fedora 32 mass rebuild
- gives us about 3 months between side tag merge and mass rebuild
- 2020-02-29 expected Fedora 32 beta freeze
- gives us about 4 months between side tag merge and beta freeze
- chances are, 3.8.1 is already out at this point
(From Python 3.8 Release Schedule and Fedora 31 Release Schedule (Fedora 32 Release Schedule is not yet available).)
The schedule is very tight for Fedora 31. So we are proposing this early, in the case the Fedora schedule might need to be adjusted.
Note that upstream's "release candidates" are frozen except for blocker bugs. Since we can and will backport blocker fixes between Fedora and upstream, we essentially treat the Release Candidate as the final release.
Notes from the previous upgrade
There are notes from the previous upgrade available, so this upgrade may go smoother: SIGs/Python/UpgradingPython
Benefit to Fedora
Fedora aims to showcase the latest in free and open source software - we should have the most recent release of Python 3. Packages in Fedora can use the new features from 3.8.
There's also a benefit to the larger Python ecosystem: by building Fedora's packages against 3.8 while it's still in development, we can catch critical bugs before the final 3.8.0 release.
Scope
We will coordinate the work in a side tag and merge when ready.
- Proposal owners:
- Introduce
for all Fedoraspython38
- Prepare stuff in Copr as explained in description.
- Retire
from F32+python38
- Update
to what was inpython3
python38
- Mass rebuild all the packages that BR
/python3
/... (~3000 listed in Python 3 Porting Database for Fedora)python3-devel
- Mass rebuild all the packages that BR
- Reintroduce
from Fedora 28. Update it to have all fixes and enhancements frompython37
in Fedora 31 (or 32 before this change)python3
- Introduce
- Other developers: Maintainers of packages that fail to rebuild during the rebuilds will be asked, using e-mail and bugzilla, to fix or remove their packages from the distribution. If any issues appear, they should be solvable either by communicating with the respective upstreams first and/or applying downstream patches. Also the package maintainers should have a look at: Porting to Python 3.8. And python-maint team will be available to help with fixing issues.
- Fedora QA: Based on some troubles with the change to 3.6, we'd like to have an ack from QA before we merge the side tag. We'd also like QA to approve this change.
- Release engineering: #8092 A targeted rebuild for all python packages will be required, before the mass rebuild.
- List of deliverables: nope
- Policies and guidelines: nope
- Trademark approval: nope
Upgrade/compatibility impact
All the packages that depend on Python 3 must be rebuilt. User written Python 3 scripts/applications may require a small amount of porting, but mostly Python 3.7 is forward compatible with Python 3.8.
How To Test
Interested testers do not need special hardware. If you have a favorite Python 3 script, module, or application, please test it with Python 3.8 and verify that it still works as you would expect. If the application you are testing does not require any other modules, you can test it using
even before this change is implemented, in Fedora 29 or 30.
python38
In case your application requires other modules, or if you are testing an rpm package, it is necessary to install the 3.8 version of the python3 rpm. Right now that rpm is available in copr, along with all other python packages that build successfully with python 3.8. See https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/g/python/python3.8/ for detailed instructions how to enable Python 3.8 copr for mock.
Once the change is in place, test if you favorite Python apps are working as they were before. File bugs if they don't.
User Experience
Regular distro users shouldn't notice any change in system behavior other than the Python 3 interpreter will be in version 3.8.
Dependencies
~2700 packages depend on
. See scope section.
python3
Contingency Plan
- Contingency mechanism: Do not merge the side tag with rawhide. If the side tag has been merged and issues arise, that will justify a downgrade, then use an epoch tag to revert to 3.7 version (never needed before)
- Contingency deadline: TBD
- Blocks release? Yes, we'd like to block Fedora 32 release on at least 3.8.0rc1
- Blocks product? See above
Documentation
Release Notes
- Release Notes tracking: #XXX