[asdf Python] Use asdf python plugin to install multiple Python versions

Posted on Edited on In , Views: Word count in article: 1.7k Reading time ≈ 2 mins.

asdf and Python Plugin

asdf is a single CLI tool for managing multiple runtime versions. It extend with a simple plugin system to install your favourite language: Dart, Elixir, Flutter, Golang (Go), Java, Node.js, Python, Ruby …

This article is about how to use asdf and Python plugin to install multiple Python versions on macOS with the Homebrew package manager.

Prerequisites

  • Xcode Command Line Tools
    The Xcode Command Line Tools Package is a small self-contained package available for download separately from Xcode and that allows you to do command line development in macOS which is consists of the macOS SDK and command-line tools such as Clang, which are installed at this

    For more information about installing and using Xcode Command Line Tools, see the Xcode Command Line Tools

  • Homebrew
    Homebrew is the Missing Package Manager for macOS (or Linux).

    For more information about installing and using Homebrew, see the Homebrew - https://brew.sh/.

Installation

Install asdf

1
2
3
4
5
# Install asdf dependencies
$ brew install coreutils curl git

# Install asdf
$ brew install asdf

asdf Python Plugin

1
2
3
4
5
# Install Python plugin requirements
$ brew install openssl readline

# Install Python plugin
$ asdf plugin-add python

List all Python Version

Update Python plugin.

1
$ asdf plugin update python

List all Python versions.

1
$ asdf list all python

Install Python version

Install a Python version manually.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
$ asdf install python 3.9.0

$ python version
No version set for command python
Consider adding one of the following versions in your config file at ~/.tool-versions
python 3.9.0

$ echo "python 3.9.0" >> ~/.tool-versions

$ asdf exec python --version
Python 3.9.0

Or install another version.

1
$ asdf install python 3.8.8

References

[1] Manage asdf - https://asdf-vm.com/#/core-manage-asdf

[2] GitHub - danhper/asdf-python - https://github.com/danhper/asdf-python

[3] Home · rbenv/python-build Wiki - https://github.com/rbenv/python-build/wiki#suggested-build-environment

[4] Homebrew - https://brew.sh/