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Debian Python Policy
Appendix C - Upgrade Procedure

This section describes the procedure for the upgrade when the default Python version is changed in the Debian unstable release, requiring recompilation of many Python-related packages.

1. Selected pre-releases and release candidates of new Python versions are uploaded to Debian experimental to support pre-transition work and testing.

2. Application and module maintainers make sourceful changes where needed to prepare for the new Python version when needed.

3. Have a long and heated discussion.

4. The Debian Python maintainer and module/application maintainers discuss the readiness for a new default Debian Python version and associated packaging/policy changes. Once there is some consensus, the Python maintainer announces the upgrade and uploads to unstable.

5. Upload of the Python core meta-packages python, python-dev, python-doc and several python-module, depending on the new pythonX.Y, pythonX.Y-dev and so on.

6. The Debian release team schedules rebuilds for packages that may need it. Packages that require additional manual work get updated and uploaded.

The necessary package builds are typcially done in three phases in order to keep transitions as smooth as possible. For Python 3, there is no general need to update architecture all packages for a new Python 3 version. Only architecture any packages need to be rebuilt.

1. The new Python 3 version is added to supported versions and packages that support multiple Python 3 versions are binNMUed. They now support both the new and older Python 3 versions. This requires transition assistance from the release team in the form of a transition tracker and binNMU scheduling, but is not a transition that can cause entanglements with other transitions in Debian.

2. Once the default Python 3 version is changed, binNMUs are done for packages that only support one Python 3 version. Some transient uninstallability is unavoidable. This is a transition that can entangle other transitions in Debian and requires more careful coordination with the release team.

3. After the old Python 3 version is dropped from supported versions then packages with multi-version support are binNMUed again to remove support for the old Python 3 version. This is not a true transition and only needs a tracker and binNMU scheduling.

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Debian Python Policy