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).
- 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.
## Support policy
We are trying to build and release new versions of Python as soon as they are released. Both stable and unstable versions are considered for building and releasing. Please open an issue in [actions/setup-python](https://github.com/actions/setup-python) if any versions are missed.
When a new version of operating system is released and available for use as a [GitHub hosted runner](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners#supported-runners-and-hardware-resources), we will build the latest existing patch version of Python for all major versions that have not reached EOL. Please see the [status of Python versions](https://devguide.python.org/versions/) for more information about supported versions. All new versions of Python released after the new OS version is added will also be built for it.
