Change default Python version from 2.4 to 2.6

Question

I'm wanting to use some newer software that requires Python 2.6, and we currently have both 2.4 and 2.6 installed on our dedicated CentOS server, which looks like this:

$ which python
/usr/local/bin/python
$ which python2.6
/usr/bin/python2.6
$ which python2.4
/usr/local/bin/python2.4
$ ls -l /usr/local/bin/py*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root      81 Aug  9  2007 /usr/local/bin/pydoc
-rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3394082 Aug  9  2007 /usr/local/bin/python
-rwxr-xr-x 2 root root 3394082 Aug  9  2007 /usr/local/bin/python2.4

How can I switch it to start using 2.6 as the default python?

Answer 1

As root:

ln -sf /usr/bin/python2.6 /usr/local/bin/python

This will make a symbolic link from /usr/local/bin/python --> /usr/bin/python2.6 (replacing the old hardlink).

Answer 2

As an alternative, you can also just add an alias for the command "python" in the your bash shell's startup file.

so open the startup file: emacs ~/.bashrc

in the editor u append: alias "python" "python2.6"

and restart the shell.

Answer 3

rm /usr/local/bin/python
ln -s /usr/local/bin/python2.6 /usr/local/bin/python

Answer 4

Add an alias for the command "python" in the your bash shell's startup file. DON'T change a symbolic link from /usr/bin/python, because changing the default Python (in Ubuntu or Linux Mint for example) may break your system

P.S.: read other answers

Answer 5

In CentOS

ln -sf /usr/local/bin/python2.6 /usr/local/bin/python
ln -sf /usr/local/bin/python2.6 /usr/bin/python

To check version do:

python -V

Then to fix yum "No module named yum", you should do:

vi `which yum`

and modify #!/usr/bin/python to #!/usr/bin/python2.4

Answer 6

I had similar problem when using meld, I simply renamed the one under local and it worked. Not a good solution I know, but I can always take it back.

sudo mv /usr/local/bin/python /usr/local/bin/re_python