A Brief History of Python

Guido van Rossum, the visionary architect behind the ingenious Python programming language, a versatile, interpreted, and interactive platform, has made an indelible mark on the world of computer science. In the late 1980s, Van Rossum embarked on a journey of innovation, immersing himself in the development of Python at the esteemed National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands, known as Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica (CWI) in the Dutch language.

author of Python Guido van Rossum

With thorough dedication and unparalleled expertise, he forged a language that has since captivated the hearts and minds of countless developers worldwide. Python's unrivaled allure lies in its impeccable syntax, setting a gold standard for elegance and readability, while its well-earned reputation for bolstering productivity has become legendary in the software development sphere. As developers continue to embrace Python, the language stands as a testament to Van Rossum's profound influence on the programming landscape, shaping the way we craft and execute our digital innovations with utmost efficiency and finesse.

The inception of Python's implementation can be traced back to December 1989, and its evolution was marked by significant milestones. By January 1994, Python had reached version 1.0, establishing its initial foundation. A noteworthy turning point occurred with the release of Python 2.0 on October 16, 2000, which introduced a host of revolutionary features. Among these advancements were the incorporation of a cycle-detecting garbage collector, complementing the existing reference counting mechanism for efficient memory management, and the inclusion of support for Unicode, enhancing the language's versatility for handling diverse character encodings. However, the most crucial transformation was witnessed in the development process itself, as Python underwent a profound shift towards greater transparency and community-driven collaboration, fostering a more inclusive and participatory approach.

In a momentous move, Python 3.0 emerged on December 3, 2008, heralding a major release that came with significant incompatibilities with its predecessor versions. The arduous journey leading up to this release was characterized by extensive testing and rigorous scrutiny. Despite the sweeping changes that accompanied Python 3.0, several of its key features were thoughtfully backported to the earlier, albeit now unsupported, Python 2.6 and 2.7 versions to ensure a smoother transition for developers who chose to maintain compatibility with the older branches.

Through these transformative milestones, Python has solidified its position as a dynamic and adaptive programming language, continuously evolving to meet the demands of an ever-changing technological landscape while preserving its commitment to community-driven development principles.


python

As of the present, there are two production-ready versions of Python available: Python 2.x and Python 3.x. The recommended and actively supported version is Python 3.x, which is widely endorsed and utilized by the majority of popular libraries and frameworks. While Python 2.x continues to be in use by many, it is important to note that its maintenance and support officially ceased on January 1, 2020. Consequently, no further updates or security fixes are being provided for Python 2.x, making Python 3.x the clear choice for new projects and ongoing development efforts to ensure compatibility with the latest advancements and community-driven improvements.

Python Versions



Version Release Date
Implementation started December, 1989
Internal releases at CWI 1990

Python 0.x



Version Release Date
Python 0.9.0 (alt.sources) February 20, 1991
Python 0.9.1 February, 1991
Python 0.9.2 Autumn, 1991
Python 0.9.4 December 24, 1991
Python 0.9.5 (Mac only) January 2, 1992
Python 0.9.6 April 6, 1992
Python 0.9.7 ( beta) Unknown, 1992
Python 0.9.8 January 9, 1993
Python 0.9.9 July 29, 1993

Python 1.x



Version Release Date
Python 1.0.0 January 26, 1994
Python 1.0.2 February 15, 1994
Python 1.0.3 May 4, 1994
Python 1.0.4 July 14, 1994
Python 1.1 October 11, 1994
Python 1.1.1 November 10, 1994
Python 1.2 April 13, 1995
Python 1.3 October 13, 1995
Python 1.4 October 25, 1996
Python 1.5 17 February 1998
Python 1.5.1 14 April 1998
Python 1.5.1p1 6 August 1998
Python 1.5.2 30 April 1999
Python 1.5.2p1 6 July 1999
Python 1.5.2p2 22 March 2000
Python 1.6 5 September 2000

Python 2.x



Version Release Date
Python 2.0 16 October 2000
Python 2.0.1 22 June 2001
Python 2.1 15 April 2001
Python 2.1.1 20 July 2001
Python 2.1.2 16 January 2002
Python 2.1.3 8 April 2002
Python 2.2 21 December 2001
Python 2.2p1 29 March 2002
Python 2.2.1 10 April 2002
Python 2.2.2 14 October 2002
Python 2.2.3 30 May 2003
Python 2.3 29 July 2003
Python 2.3.1 23 September 2003
Python 2.3.2 3 October 2003
Python 2.3.3 19 December 2003
Python 2.3.4 27 May 2004
Python 2.3.5 8 February 2005
Python 2.4 30 November 2004
Python 2.4.1 30 March 2005
Python 2.4.2 28 September 2005
Python 2.4.3 29 March 2006
Python 2.4.4 18 October 2006
Python 2.5 19 September 2006
Python 2.5.1 18 April 2007
Python 2.5.2 21 February 2008
Python 2.5.3 19 December 2008
Python 2.5.4 23 December 2008
Python 2.6 1 October 2008
Python 2.6.1 4 December 2008
Python 2.6.2 14 April 2009
Python 2.6.3 2 October 2009
Python 2.6.4 25 October 2009
Python 2.6.5 19 March 2010
Python 2.6.6 24 August 2010
Python 2.6.7 3 June 2011
Python 2.6.8 10 April 2012
Python 2.6.9 29 October 2013
Python 2.7 4 July 2010
Python 2.7.1 27 November 2010
Python 2.7.2 11 June 2011
Python 2.7.3 9 April 2012
Python 2.7.4 6 April 2013
Python 2.7.5 15 May 2013
Python 2.7.6 10 November 2013
Python 2.7.7 31 May 2014
Python 2.7.8 1 July 2014
Python 2.7.9 10 December 2014
Python 2.7.10 23 May 2015
Python 2.7.11 5 December 2015
Python 2.7.12 26 June 2016
Python 2.7.13 17 December 2016
Python 2.7.14 16 September 2017
Python 2.7.15 30 April 2018
Python 2.7.16 02 March 2019
Python 2.7.17 19 October 2019

Python 3.x



Version Release Date
Python 3.0 3 December 2008
Python 3.0.1 13 February 2009
Python 3.1 27 June 2009
Python 3.1.1 17 August 2009
Python 3.1.2 21 March 2010
Python 3.1.3 27 November 2010
Python 3.1.4 11 June 2011
Python 3.1.5 9 April 2012
Python 3.2 20 February 2011
Python 3.2.1 10 July 2011
Python 3.2.2 4 September 2011
Python 3.2.3 10 April 2012
Python 3.2.4 7 April 2013
Python 3.2.5 15 May 2013
Python 3.2.6 11 October 2014
Python 3.3.0 29 September 2012
Python 3.3.1 7 April 2013
Python 3.3.2 15 May 2013
Python 3.3.3 17 November 2013
Python 3.3.4 9 February 2014
Python 3.3.5 9 March 2014
Python 3.3.6 12 October 2014
Python 3.3.7 19 September 2017
Python 3.4.0 16 March 2014
Python 3.4.1 18 May 2014
Python 3.4.2 4 October 2014
Python 3.4.3 25 February 2015
Python 3.4.4 06 December 2015
Python 3.4.5 26 June 2016
Python 3.4.6 17 January 2017
Python 3.4.7 25 July 2017
Python 3.4.8 4 February 2018
Python 3.4.9 8 August 2018
Python 3.4.10 18 March 2019
Python 3.5.0 13 September 2015
Python 3.5.1 07 December 2015
Python 3.5.2 27 June 2016
Python 3.5.3 17 January 2017
Python 3.5.4 25 July 2017
Python 3.5.5 4 February 2018
Python 3.5.6 8 August 2018
Python 3.5.7 18 March 2019
Python 3.5.8 29 October 2019
Python 3.6.0 23 December 2016
Python 3.6.1 21 March 2017
Python 3.6.2 17 July 2017
Python 3.6.3 03 October 2017
Python 3.6.4 19 December 2017
Python 3.6.5 28 March 2018
Python 3.6.6 27 June 2018
Python 3.6.7 20 October 2018
Python 3.6.8 24 December 2018
Python 3.6.9 02 July 2019
Python 3.6.10 18 December 2019
Python 3.7.0 27 June 2018
Python 3.7.1 20 October 2018
Python 3.7.2 24 December 2018
Python 3.7.3 25 March 2019
Python 3.7.4 08 July 2019
Python 3.7.5 15 October 2019
Python 3.7.6 18 December 2019
Python 3.7.7 10 March 2020
Python 3.8.0 14 October 2019
Python 3.8.1 18 December 2019
Python 3.8.2 24 February 2020


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Conclusion

Python, a versatile and interactive programming language, was conceived by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s and reached version 1.0 by January 1994. It underwent a significant shift with the release of Python 3.0 in December 2008, becoming the recommended and actively supported version, while Python 2.x, still in use, ceased to receive maintenance after January 1, 2020.