Python Version History
5 active, 12 end-of-life. 17 versions tracked.
Python releases a new major version every October, following an annual cadence since Python 3.9. Each release gets 2 years of active bug fix support followed by 3 years of security-only patches, totalling 5 years of support per version.
Recommendation
For new projects in 2026, use Python 3.14. It has the longest support window (until October 2030) and includes the latest language features. Python 3.13 is also a great choice if you need maximum library compatibility.
| Version | Released | End of Life | Latest Patch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Python 3.14 | October 7, 2025 | October 31, 2030 | 3.14.3 | Active |
| Python 3.13 | October 7, 2024 | October 31, 2029 | 3.13.12 | Active |
| Python 3.12 | October 2, 2023 | October 31, 2028 | 3.12.13 | Security Only |
| Python 3.11 | October 24, 2022 | October 31, 2027 | 3.11.15 | Security Only |
| Python 3.10 | October 4, 2021 | October 31, 2026 | 3.10.20 | Security Only |
| Python 3.9 | October 5, 2020 | October 31, 2025 | 3.9.25 | End of Life |
| Python 3.8 | October 14, 2019 | October 7, 2024 | 3.8.20 | End of Life |
| Python 3.7 | June 27, 2018 | June 27, 2023 | 3.7.17 | End of Life |
| Python 3.6 | December 23, 2016 | December 23, 2021 | 3.6.15 | End of Life |
| Python 3.5 | September 13, 2015 | September 30, 2020 | 3.5.10 | End of Life |
| Python 3.4 | March 16, 2014 | March 18, 2019 | 3.4.10 | End of Life |
| Python 3.3 | September 29, 2012 | September 29, 2017 | 3.3.7 | End of Life |
| Python 3.2 | February 20, 2011 | February 20, 2016 | 3.2.6 | End of Life |
| Python 2.7 | July 3, 2010 | January 1, 2020 | 2.7.18 | End of Life |
| Python 3.1 | June 27, 2009 | April 9, 2012 | 3.1.5 | End of Life |
| Python 3.0 | December 3, 2008 | June 27, 2009 | 3.0.1 | End of Life |
| Python 2.6 | October 1, 2008 | October 29, 2013 | 2.6.9 | End of Life |
Python Support Policy
Python versions follow a 5-year support lifecycle: 2 years of full bug fix support (active), then 3 years of security-only patches. After the 5-year window closes, the version gets no further updates. The Python Steering Council and release managers coordinate the schedule.
What You Need to Know
Python 3.10 reaches full end-of-life in October 2026. If you're still on it, start planning your upgrade now.
Python 3.14 is the latest stable release with full bug fix support until October 2028.
Python 3.13 introduced an experimental free-threaded build (no GIL) and a new REPL based on PyPy's.
Python 3.12 brought significant performance improvements (5-10% faster) and better error messages.
Frequently Asked Questions
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