Add python to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) [ubuntu]

add_python_to_WINDOWS_WSL_ubuntu.md

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) [ubuntu]

Follow this guide to install WSL:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10

Prepare WSL (ubuntu)

0. Get your build tools and python required libraries installed:

   See: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8097161/how-would-i-build-python-myself-from-source-code-on-ubuntu/31492697

   sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y build-essential git libexpat1-dev libssl-dev zlib1g-dev \
   libncurses5-dev libbz2-dev liblzma-dev \
   libsqlite3-dev libffi-dev tcl-dev linux-headers-generic libgdbm-dev \
   libreadline-dev tk tk-dev
   

1. Install pyenv (which will install python):

   See: https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv-installer

   curl https://pyenv.run | bash
   

2. After install, it tells you to add the following to your ~/.bashrc file, go do that:

   # Load pyenv automatically by adding
   # the following to ~/.bashrc:
   
   export PATH="/home/{USERNAME}/.pyenv/bin:$PATH"
   eval "$(pyenv init -)"
   eval "$(pyenv virtualenv-init -)"
   
   

3. Install the latest 'common' versions of python through pyenv:

   # list available python versions
   # pyenv install --list
   pyenv install 3.6.8
   pyenv install 3.7.2
   

4. Install/Upgrade base libraries into both versions of python:

   pyenv global 3.6.8
   pip install pip --upgrade
   pip install pipenv
   
   pyenv global 3.7.2
   pip install pip --upgrade
   pip install pipenv
   

-- Go to work!

I already install pyenv on wsl and create new env using pyenv virtualenv 3.7.4 env-name.
After that i

• pyenv activate env-name
• pip install notebook
• jupyter-notebook

access notebook. but it says i should apt-install jupyter notebook (basically no jupyter notebook). Even type python doesn't launch python. if i type python3 i got python version 3.8.10 (which is i didn't voluntarily install).
if i check pyenv which python it shows /home/User/.pyenv/versions/env-name/bin/python

Anyone have a guide how to use pyenv on wsl?

@rzsgrt I am facing this issue with WSL2, have you found a work-around? Specifically with the python command. It gives me the system python even after activating it. pyenv is the latest version.

echo -e "\n\n# pyenv environment variables\nexport PYENV_ROOT=\"\$HOME/.pyenv\"\nexport PATH=\"\$PYENV_ROOT/bin:\$PATH\"\n\n# pyenv initialization\nif command -v pyenv 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then\n eval \"\$(pyenv init --path)\"\nfi\n\n" >> ~/.bashrc
This command solved it for me. Apparently setting the path as @filipebezerra showed does not work properly on WSL2

@jier thanks. Your suggestion worked for me.

Here is what worked for me, thank you @jier. I just added the virtualenv initialization too.

pyenv environment variables

export PYENV_ROOT="$HOME/.pyenv"
export PATH="$PYENV_ROOT/bin:$PATH"

pyenv initialization

if command -v pyenv 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
  eval "$(pyenv init --path)"
  eval "$(pyenv virtualenv-init -)"
fi

That workaround worked for me too @bashguru, thank you!

im facing this issue on wsl ubuntu
/mnt/c/Users/lenovo/.pyenv/pyenv-win/bin/pyenv: 3: cygpath: not found /mnt/c/Users/lenovo/.pyenv/pyenv-win/bin/pyenv: 3: exec: cmd: not found