This guide is a comprehensive resource for contributing to Python – for both new and experienced contributors. It is maintained by the same community that maintains Python. We welcome your contributions to Python!

Quick Start

Here are the basic steps needed to get set up and contribute a patch:

  1. Get the source code:

    hg clone https://hg.python.org/cpython

    See version control setup for installing Mercurial.

  2. Build Python. On all platforms, install build dependencies (such as compilers). On UNIX (including Mac OS X):

    ./configure --with-pydebug && make -j2

    On Windows:

    If the build outputs warnings or errors, Build dependencies provides detail on standard library extensions that depend on installing third-party libraries for some operating systems.

  3. Run the tests:

    On most Mac OS X systems, replace ./python with ./python.exe. On Windows, use python.bat or check the Windows instructions. With Python 2.7, replace test with test.regrtest.

  4. Make the patch.

  5. Submit it to the issue tracker.

Status of Python branches

Branch Schedule Status First release End-of-life Comment
default PEP 494 features 2016-12-16 2021-12-16 The default branch is currently the future version Python 3.6.
3.5 PEP 478 bugfix 2015-09-13 2020-09-13  
2.7 PEP 373 bugfix 2010-07-03 2020-01-01 The support has been extended to 2020.
3.4 PEP 429 security 2014-03-16 2019-03-16 Last binary release: Python 3.4.4
3.3 PEP 398 security 2012-09-29 2017-09-29 Last binary release: Python 3.3.5
3.2 PEP 392 security 2011-02-20 2016-02-20 Last binary release: Python 3.2.5
3.1 PEP 375 end-of-life 2009-06-27 2012-04-11 Last release: Python 3.1.5
3.0 PEP 361 end-of-life 2008-12-03 2009-01-13 Last release: Python 3.0.1
2.6 PEP 361 end-of-life 2008-10-01 2013-10-29 Last release: Python 2.6.9

Status:

features:new features are only added to the default branch, this branch accepts any kind of change.
bugfix:bugfixes and security fixes are accepted, new binaries are still released.
security:only security fixes are accepted and no more binaries are released, but new source-only versions can be released
end-of-life:branch no longer maintained; no more changes can be pushed to this branch.

Dates in italic are scheduled and can be adjusted.

By default, the end-of-life is scheduled 5 years after the first release. It can be adjusted by the release manager of each branch. Versions older than 2.6 have reached end-of-life.

See also Security branches.

Proposing changes to Python itself

Improving Python’s code, documentation and tests are ongoing tasks that are never going to be “finished”, as Python operates as part of an ever-evolving system of technology. An even more challenging ongoing task than these necessary maintenance activities is finding ways to make Python, in the form of the standard library and the language definition, an even better tool in a developer’s toolkit.

While these kinds of change are much rarer than those described above, they do happen and that process is also described as part of this guide:

Also refer to Where should I suggest new features and language changes? in the FAQ.

Other Interpreter Implementations

This guide is specifically for contributing to the Python reference interpreter, also known as CPython (while most of the standard library is written in Python, the interpreter core is written in C and integrates most easily with the C and C++ ecosystems).

There are other Python implementations, each with a different focus. Like CPython, they always have more things they would like to do than they have developers to work on them. Some major example that may be of interest are:

  • PyPy: A Python interpreter focused on high speed (JIT-compiled) operation on major platforms
  • Jython: A Python interpreter focused on good integration with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) environment
  • IronPython: A Python interpreter focused on good integration with the Common Language Runtime (CLR) provided by .NET and Mono
  • Stackless: A Python interpreter focused on providing lightweight microthreads while remaining largely compatible with CPython specific extension modules

Key Resources

Additional Resources