This repository contains the code and scripts that we use to build Python packages used in [runner-images](https://github.com/actions/runner-images) and accessible through the [setup-python](https://github.com/actions/setup-python) Action.
File [versions-manifest.json](./versions-manifest.json) contains the list of available and released versions.
More versions are available to install on-the-fly through the [`setup-python`](https://github.com/actions/setup-python) action.
## Building installation packages
**Ubuntu:** The official Python sources are downloaded from [python.org](https://www.python.org/ftp/python/), built with additional configurations using the make tool and archived along with the installation script for further distribution and installation. We build a Python version against all available [Ubuntu versions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners#supported-runners-and-hardware-resources).
- For **Python < 3.11**, the official Python sources are downloaded from [python.org](https://www.python.org/ftp/python/), built using the `make` tool, and archived along with the installation script for further distribution and installation. For backward compatibility, we build each Python version against the oldest [version of macOS](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners#supported-runners-and-hardware-resources) that is available at the time the Python version is released.
- Python >= 3.11. The official macOS `universal2` Python binaries are simply downloaded from [python.org](https://www.python.org/ftp/python/) and archived along with the installation script for further distribution and installation.
**Windows:** The official Python executables are simply downloaded from [python.org](https://www.python.org/ftp/python/) and archived along with the installation script for further distribution and installation.
We aim to make new versions of Python available as soon as they are released. Both stable and prerelease versions are considered for building and releasing. Please open an issue in [actions/setup-python](https://github.com/actions/setup-python) if a version you're looking for isn't available.
When a new version of an operating system is released and made available for use with [GitHub hosted runners](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners#supported-runners-and-hardware-resources), we will provide the **latest existing patch versions of Python for all major versions that have not reached [end-of-life](https://devguide.python.org/versions/)**. Any subsequent Python versions will be made available for the new OS as well.
