How to Install Python 3.7 on Ubuntu 18.04 – Step‑by‑Step Guide

Python is a versatile, high‑level language widely used for scripting, web development, data analysis, and more. This guide shows how to install Python 3.7 on an Ubuntu 18.04 LTS system using two approaches.

Method 1: Install via APT and the deadsnakes PPA

Ubuntu 18.04 ships with Python 3.6.9 by default. First, update the package index and ensure software-properties-common is installed so you can add PPAs.

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install software-properties-common

Add the deadsnakes repository and install Python 3.7:

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
$ sudo apt install python3.7 -y

The installation output lists the new packages (e.g., libpython3.7-minimal, python3.7) and confirms successful setup. Verify the installation:

$ python3.7 -V
Python 3.7.7

Method 2: Build and install from source

When you need a custom build, compile Python 3.7 from source. First, update the package index and install the required build dependencies.

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install -y build-essential wget zlib1g-dev libncurses5-dev libgdbm-dev libnss3-dev libssl-dev libreadline-dev libffi-dev

Download the latest 3.7 source tarball, extract it, and configure the build with optimizations enabled.

$ wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.7.7/Python-3.7.7.tgz
$ tar -xf Python-3.7.7.tgz
$ cd Python-3.7.7
$ ./configure --enable-optimizations

After configuration completes, compile and install using make altinstall to avoid overwriting the system Python. $ sudo make altinstall The process installs binaries such as python3.7, pip3.7, and related tools. Verify the version:

$ python3.7 -V
Python 3.7.7

Conclusion

Both methods successfully install Python 3.7 on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. The APT approach is quick and handles dependencies automatically, while the source‑compilation method offers more control and can be adapted for newer patch releases. After installation, you can run Python 3.7 scripts and develop applications without affecting the system’s default Python interpreter.