What is the process of a new release?

[karmingc]

More specifically, i'm interested in using python 3.10.4 (merged PR) through pyenv. How frequent are releases in general?

[edgarrmondragon]

@karmingc you can install 3.10.4 with pyenv today by using a definition file that you can download from https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv/blob/6d20b3b12383084e7f3c919947363dfe7ef33916/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.10.4.

Example:

$ cat 3.10.4
#require_gcc
prefer_openssl11
export PYTHON_BUILD_CONFIGURE_WITH_OPENSSL=1
install_package "openssl-1.1.1n" "https://www.openssl.org/source/openssl-1.1.1n.tar.gz#40dceb51a4f6a5275bde0e6bf20ef4b91bfc32ed57c0552e2e8e15463372b17a" mac_openssl --if has_broken_mac_openssl
install_package "readline-8.0" "https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/readline/readline-8.0.tar.gz#e339f51971478d369f8a053a330a190781acb9864cf4c541060f12078948e461" mac_readline --if has_broken_mac_readline
if has_tar_xz_support; then
    install_package "Python-3.10.4" "https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.10.4/Python-3.10.4.tar.xz#80bf925f571da436b35210886cf79f6eb5fa5d6c571316b73568343451f77a19" standard verify_py310 copy_python_gdb ensurepip
else
    install_package "Python-3.10.4" "https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.10.4/Python-3.10.4.tgz#f3bcc65b1d5f1dc78675c746c98fcee823c038168fc629c5935b044d0911ad28" standard verify_py310 copy_python_gdb ensurepip
fi

$ pyenv versions | grep 3.10
3.10.1
3.10.2
3.10.3

$ pyenv install 3.10.4  # <- 3.10.4 is the name of the file, not the upstream version
python-build: use [email protected] from homebrew
python-build: use readline from homebrew
Downloading Python-3.10.4.tar.xz...
-> https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.10.4/Python-3.10.4.tar.xz
Installing Python-3.10.4...
python-build: use tcl-tk from homebrew
python-build: use readline from homebrew
python-build: use zlib from xcode sdk
Installed Python-3.10.4 to /Users/imauser/.pyenv/versions/3.10.4

$ pyenv versions | grep 3.10
3.10.1
3.10.2
3.10.3
3.10.4

[ulgens]

After every CPython release, dependabot and brew users wait until pyenv's new release to be able to use that CPython release. And almost every time, it gets released with 2-3 weeks of delay. So instead of making users wait, is it possible to tie pyenv releases with CPython?

[native-api]

CPython releases come quite often -- almost every week and sometimes multiple releases in a week (see e.g. the dates at https://www.python.org/ftp/python/).
Making new Pyenv releases so often would be rather taxing.
Currently, we make a new release roughly once a month and allow to install the development head for those who always chase the "latest and greatest" (in Homebrew, you can brew install pyenv --head).

[native-api]

I guess that would be realistic if we automate the process.

[anton-petrov]

We can use something like this https://github.com/marketplace/actions/automatic-releases, to automate our releases.

[ulgens]

@edgarrmondragon

1. It's not blocked, but dependabot developers prefer to use release versions in their code (It's been the case for the last couple of years. On multiple occasions, I was the one who pushed new Python and pyenv versions to dependabot repo) Considering dependabot is bought by Github and the functionality it provides is ready to use for any existing repo, I consider them as a significant user of pyenv.
2. That's true, someone can install any CPython release without needing pyenv at all but also irrelevant IMO. We are discussing this here because we choose to install them with pyenv.

@native-api Thanks for the --head tip.

@native-api @anton-petrov +1 for the automation idea.

[Ninzero]

Perhaps we could separate Pyenv and Python versions, like Homebrew and its taps. Pyenv release will only focus on functional update and bug fixes, not new versions.