# python 2 and 3 series



## nedry (Jun 23, 2019)

Hi can someone please explain the advantages of having both the 2 series and 3 series of python when they keep conflicting with each other? Most of the time i build from the ports tree, but half the time the port wants the 2 series of python and the other half wants the 3 series. sometimes a compile wont succeed as the python port installs into the same place. Its truly frustrating. Would it not be possible to choose a release of python and just stick with that?


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## hruodr (Jun 23, 2019)

After you install few packages, you have installed as dependency python, perl 
and ruby in many difference series. With luck you get also some tcl installations.


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## getopt (Jun 23, 2019)

nedry said:


> Hi can someone please explain the advantages of having both the 2 series and 3 series of python


Python2.7 is nearing EOL at 2020-01-01. So there *should* not be any advantage still having Python2 except for projects not building with Python3.

With this in /etc/make.conf you can prioritize building port flavor py36

```
DEFAULT_VERSIONS+=python=3.6
```
May be you get rid of Python2 completelely, but there are still ports/projects that have not been moved to Python3 by port maintainers/upstream.  Those folks definitively need a wake up call for moving/configuring their stuff as EOL lurks around the corner.


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