The Python programming language 3.10 is finally released on Oct 6. Here’s how to install it via PPA in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Linux Mint 19.x/20, and derivatives.

Python 3.10 has 18 months support with bug-fix updates until the next 3.11 release. After that, it will be supported with 5 years of security updates until October 2026.

New major features and changes compare to Python 3.9:

• Deprecate and prepare for the removal of the wstr member in PyUnicodeObject.
• Allow writing union types as X | Y
• Parameter Specification Variables
• Precise line numbers for debugging and other tools.
• Add Optional Length-Checking To zip.
• Parenthesized context managers are now officially allowed.
• Deprecate distutils module.
• Explicit Type Aliases
• Structural Pattern Matching
• Require OpenSSL 1.1.1 or newer
• Remove Py_UNICODE encoder APIs
• Add optional EncodingWarning

Install Python 3.10 via Ubuntu PPA:

The ‘Deadsnakes’ Team PPA has build the packages for current 2 Ubuntu LTS. NOTE for Ubuntu 16.04, the package stuck at Python 3.10 alpha 6 due to old SSL library.

1.) Open terminal from system application menu, and run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) for sudo prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2.) Then refresh system package via command:

sudo apt update

3.) Finally install Python 3.10 via command:

sudo apt install python3.10

Once installed, check via python3.10 --version command or just run python3.10 to access the IDE in terminal.

Uninstall Python 3.10:

To remove the programming language, run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove python3.10

And remove the Ubuntu PPA via Software & Updates utility under Other Software tab.