Otdfbt

Ubuntu 14.4 comes with Python 2.7.6 built-in, but I'd like to upgrade it to 2.7.9 (it has security features that I want).

Is that even possible? If so, how can this be achieved?

You can use pyenv:

 git clone https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv.git ~/.pyenv
 git clone https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv-virtualenv.git ~/.pyenv/plugins/pyenv-virtualenv

Then add

 # for PyEnv
 export PYENV_ROOT="$HOME/.pyenv"
 export PATH="$HOME/.pyenv/bin:$PATH"
 export PATH="$HOME/.pyenv/shims:$PATH"
 eval "$(pyenv init -)"

to .bash_profile
then you can see the python version you want to install or update:

pyenv install --list

want python 2.7.10? you can try:

 pyenv virtualenv 2.7.10

Hope it can help you.

ppa:fkrull/deadsnakes-python2.7 is the latest version of python2.7

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fkrull/deadsnakes-python2.7
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

It will upgrade python to 2.7.10

I'm not a fan of previous answers suggesting installing from various PPAs. No disrespect intended, but I don't know the people who built them and I have no idea what might be in there. In any environment where someone has to answer to a security professional that practice would be frowned upon.

I just found that downloading 2.7.9 from source and installing it side-by-side was a good start. This awesome blog post covered the steps. (recreated here to conform to stack overflow guidelines)

wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.9/Python-2.7.9.tgz
tar xfz Python-2.7.9.tgz
cd Python-2.7.9/
./configure --prefix /usr/local/lib/python2.7.9
make
make install

Test if the version works

/usr/local/lib/python2.7.9/bin/python -V
Python 2.7.9

Now that I have 2.7.9 installed I can call it directly or symlink to it from wherever I want. (or copy it into a virtualenv etc.)

And note that I got here from a situation where I was getting insecure platform warnings, and SNI Missing warnings. Which led me here. I imagine many people are finding this question through the same path.
And if that's why you're here this snippet may be of use to you too

pip install urllib3[secure]

You can go to the python.org and download the .tar.gz file compile and install it.
You will need the basic tools in order to compile the source code. I don't remember if the "build-essential" package will suffice but give it a try.

The version you want is already in Ubuntu, in Vivid (pre)release. If you are brave, you can mix releases and install Vivid's version of Python under Trusty. Below is a generic solution that works on some packages, I can't warranty it with Python. The chances are ~ 50/50 that it will succeed. If you however find a proper backports repository for 14.04 with your required package version, then it should be a better choice.

1. You have '... trusty main' line in your /etc/apt/sources.list, copy it twice, changing 'trusty' to 'utopic' and 'vivid'.




2. Run apt-get update and then apt-get -t vivid install python2.7. Review dependencies installed before proceeding. Abort upgrade when you suspect any damage to your system (deleted important packages, etc.).




3. Remove or hash the two lines from /etc/apt/sources.list.

Never do it on production machines. Make a backup of your OS and prepare boot media to restore it if needed. Expect problems on upgrades. You've been warned.

Here is new upgraded third party repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:jonathonf/python-2.7
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python2.7
python --version