How to Upgrade Python Version in AWS Cloud Shell
Published: 2023-06-07 14:35:00

AWS Cloud Shell is a web-based terminal accessible through the AWS Management Console. It provides an environment to run scripts and commands in various languages without the need to install or manage additional software.

AWS Cloud Shell comes pre-installed with commonly used programming languages and command-line tools, minimizing the need for additional configuration. Users can store their scripts and files in an automatically created Amazon S3 bucket, allowing for easy access across AWS services. AWS Cloud Shell is accessible from any supported browser, making it a convenient tool for managing AWS resources on the go.

## Prerequisites of Upgrading Python Version in AWS Cloud Shell
When upgrading the Python version in AWS Cloud Shell, ensure the following prerequisites:

1. AWS Account: Have an active AWS account with access to AWS services, including Cloud Shell.
2. Cloud Shell Environment: Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the Cloud Shell service.
3. Permissions: Verify that your AWS account has the necessary permissions to upgrade the Python version in Cloud Shell. Typically, the required permissions are granted by default.
4. Knowledge of Package Managers: Familiarize yourself with package managers like pip, which is commonly used to install and manage Python packages.
5. Python Environment Configuration: If you have specific Python dependencies or virtual environments, take note of the required configurations to ensure compatibility after the upgrade.
6. Backup: Before proceeding with any upgrades, it is recommended to backup any important files or projects to avoid data loss.

By fulfilling these prerequisites, you can proceed with confidence when upgrading the Python version in AWS Cloud Shell, ensuring a smooth transition and continued functionality for your Python projects.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/0w40c6zcix7m9ng3ewok.png)


To upgrade your Python version in AWS Cloud Shell, you need to first sign in to your AWS account. If you don't have an account, you can create one by visiting the AWS website.

Once you have an account, navigate to the AWS Management Console and select the AWS Cloud Shell service. If you haven't used AWS Cloud Shell before, you'll be prompted to choose a region and create a S3 bucket to store your files. Once you're logged in to AWS Cloud Shell, you'll be able to upgrade your Python version by following the step-by-step guide.

## Steps to upgrade Python version in AWS Cloud Shell
Before upgrading Python in AWS Cloud Shell, we need to check the current version of Python. To do this, we can use the command python --version in the Cloud Shell terminal. This will display the current version of Python that is installed in the Cloud Shell. It is important to check the current version to ensure that we are upgrading to the desired version.

### Command to check the current version of Python
To upgrade the Python version in AWS Cloud Shell, it is important to first know the current version of Python installed in the environment. To check the current version, simply open the terminal in the AWS Cloud Shell and type the following command:

`python3 --version`

This command will display the current version of Python installed in the AWS Cloud Shell environment. Once you know the current version, you can proceed with upgrading it to the latest version.

### Install the latest version of Python Command to install the latest version of Python
To upgrade Python version in AWS Cloud Shell, the first step is to check the current version of Python installed using the command python --version. After verifying the current version, use the following command to install the latest version of Python:

```
sudo yum install python3 -y
```

This command will install Python 3, which is the latest version of Python. Once the installation is complete, verify the version again using python3 --version to ensure that the latest version has been installed successfully. This step is crucial as it ensures that the latest version of Python is used to execute scripts and applications in AWS Cloud Shell.

### Command to install the latest version of Python
To upgrade the Python version in AWS Cloud Shell, you can use the following commands:

```
sudo yum install gcc openssl-devel bzip2-devel libffi-devel
wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.9.5/Python-3.9.5.tgz
tar xzf Python-3.9.5.tgz
cd Python-3.9.5
./configure --enable-optimizations
sudo make altinstall
```

The above commands will install the latest version of Python (3.9.5 at the time of writing this article) in your AWS Cloud Shell environment. The sudo yum install command installs the necessary dependencies for building Python from source. Then, we download the source code for Python 3.9.5 and extract it to a directory. Next, we navigate to that directory and run the ./configure command with the --enable-optimizations flag to enable optimizations, which will improve the performance of Python. Finally, we run the sudo make altinstall command to build and install Python.

### Verify the Installation Command to Verify the Installation of the Latest Version of Python
After upgrading the version of Python in AWS Cloud Shell, it is important to verify the installation to ensure that the upgrade was successful. To verify the installation, simply enter the following command in the Cloud Shell terminal:

`python3 --version`

This command will display the version of Python currently installed in the Cloud Shell. If the latest version of Python has been successfully installed, the output should display the updated version number.

It is important to note that if the output still displays the old version number, make sure to restart the Cloud Shell session and try the command again.

### Set the default version of Python to use in AWS Cloud Shell
The AWS Cloud Shell comes with Python 3.7 pre-installed, but you may want to use a different version of Python for your projects. Fortunately, it's easy to set the default version of Python to use in AWS Cloud Shell. To do this, you can use the pyenv tool, which allows you to manage multiple versions of Python on the same system. First, you need to install pyenv by running the following command:

```
curl https://pyenv.run | bash
```

Once pyenv is installed, you can list the Python versions available to install by running:

```
pyenv install --list
```

Choose the version of Python you want to install and run the following command, replacing <version> with the version number you want to install:

```
pyenv install <version>
```

After the installation completes, you can set the default version of Python to use by running:
pyenv global <version>

Now, whenever you open AWS Cloud Shell, it will use the default version of Python you set with pyenv global. You can verify the version of Python in use by running:

```
python --version
```

## Benefits of upgrading Python version in AWS Cloud Shell
Upgrading Python version in AWS Cloud Shell can bring a range of benefits, including access to new language features, improved performance, and enhanced security. New releases of Python often introduce new modules and libraries, which can help developers to write more efficient and maintainable code.

Additionally, running the latest version of Python can improve the performance and stability of applications, while also providing access to important security updates and patches. Overall, upgrading Python version in AWS Cloud Shell can help developers to stay current with the latest tools and technologies, and can help to ensure that their applications are secure and performant.

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## Additional resources for AWS Cloud Shell and Python versions
Here are some additional resources that can be helpful for working with AWS Cloud Shell and upgrading Python versions:

- [AWS Cloud Shell documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cloudshell/latest/userguide/welcome.html): This documentation provides a comprehensive guide on how to use AWS Cloud Shell, including information on accessing and configuring the shell environment.
- [AWS CLI documentation](https://aws.amazon.com/documentation/cli/): The AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) is pre-installed in AWS Cloud Shell and can be used to perform a variety of tasks on AWS resources. This documentation provides a detailed guide on how to use the AWS CLI to manage AWS resources.
- [Python documentation](https://www.python.org/doc/): Python is a popular programming language that is widely used for various purposes. This documentation provides a detailed guide on how to use Python, including information on upgrading Python versions, installing packages, and more.
- [pip documentation](https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/): pip is the package installer for Python and is used to install and manage Python packages. This documentation provides a guide on how to use pip to install packages, manage dependencies, and more.

[Upgrading Python Version in AWS Cloud Shell: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://www.lightly-dev.com/blog/how-to-upgrade-python-version-from-cloud-shell-aws/)