Installing Python 3.8 in a venv environment on CentOS 7

Installing Python 3.8 in a venv environment on CentOS 7 requires several steps. Follow the guide below:

1. Update System Packages

First, ensure your system is up-to-date:

sudo yum update -y

2. Install Development Tools and Dependencies

Install the required tools and libraries for building Python from source:

sudo yum groupinstall -y "Development Tools"
sudo yum install -y gcc libffi-devel bzip2 bzip2-devel wget make zlib-devel \
    xz-devel sqlite-devel readline-devel tk-devel openssl-devel git

3. Download Python 3.8 Source Code

Download the Python 3.8 source code from the official Python website:

cd /usr/src
sudo wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.8.16/Python-3.8.16.tgz
sudo tar xzf Python-3.8.16.tgz
cd Python-3.8.16

4. Build and Install Python 3.8

Compile and install Python:

sudo ./configure --enable-optimizations
sudo make altinstall

Note: Use make altinstall instead of make install to prevent overwriting the default Python binary (python or python2).

Once done, verify the installation:

python3.8 --version

5. Create a Virtual Environment

Create a new virtual environment using Python 3.8:

python3.8 -m venv myenv

Activate the environment:

source myenv/bin/activate

6. Install Required Packages

After activating the environment, you can install any Python packages you need:

pip install --upgrade pip
pip install <your-packages>

Troubleshooting:

• Missing pip in Python 3.8: If pip is missing, install it manually:

  python3.8 -m ensurepip
  python3.8 -m pip install --upgrade pip
  

• Permissions Issue: If you encounter permission issues during installation, prepend sudo to commands where necessary.

Let me know if you face any specific problems!