In the process of installing various Python based applications, often need to upgrade or downgrade Python from version to version. fortunately, Python installation allows different versions to co-exist without issues, and the run-time version is can switch from version to version via symbolic links.
1. Typical Python Installation paths
- /usr/bin
- /usr/local/bin
2. Python run-time symbolic links
- /usr/bin/python -> /usr/local/bin/python2.6
- /usr/bin/python2 -> /usr/local/bin/python2.6
3. link / unlink symbolic links
- sudo unlink /usr/bin/python2
- sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/python2.6 /usr/bin/python2
4. switch Python version — switch the following symbolic links in /usr/bin
- python -> /usr/local/bin/python2.6
- python-config -> /usr/local/bin/python2.6-config
- python2 -> /usr/local/bin/python2.6
- python2-config -> /usr/local/bin/python2.6-config
5. Install Python 2.6 (which is not in Ubuntu official repository any more)
- Install the PPA: “sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fkrull/deadsnakes”
- Run Update: “sudo apt-get update”
- Install Python 2.6 “sudo apt-get install python2.6 python2.6-dev”
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