How can we link python2 to python?

Question

Some time ago I used

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 10

to simply write python for having python3.

I noticed this alias breaks the package manager in some cases, so Im trying to revert this. I used

sudo update-alternatives --remove-all python

to remove this. But now I want to go back to default, meaning writing python calls python2 and only python3 calls python3.

Any idea how we can do this?

Cheers

EDIT:

By running

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python2 10

I managed to link python2 to python and leaving python3 as it. is. Is this the proper way of fixing it? It doesn't seem like it...

EDIT2:

I just upgraded my system from 19.10. to 20.04., I have no problems anymore regarding broken packages, but this was probably the easy-way-out, I'd still appreciate a reasonable thought about how to resolve these python links well.

Funny though, I thought python2 is not used anymore in 20.04., but if I type python then python2 is called again.. how?

Just FYI, avoid using python2 if possible, since it is no longer maintained. — Adam Boinet
– Adam Boinet, Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 11:11

Daniel Connelly · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-17 22:26:36Z

1

There is a good answer to this question on one of the sister sites, which essentially says to create an alias in a bash file (e.g., .bashrc).

The reason python is still installed in the OS is likely because people & programs still use it, though as Adam mentions it isn't maintained. Corroboration that it comes packaged in Ubuntu 20.04 and the program to change this without just changing a bash file (python-is-python3) is in this answer.

edited Jun 17, 2020 at 22:26

answered Jun 17, 2020 at 5:40

Daniel Connelly

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1 Comment

MJimitater Over a year ago

Thanks Daniel Connelly for your answer, which give me more insight. Cheers

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