Installing Python from Scratch Without sudo

In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the process of installing Python from scratch without using sudo. This approach allows you to have a self-contained Python installation in your user directory, giving you more control over your Python environment.

  • Step 1: Download Python 
      VERSION=3.10.12
  USERNAME=spongebob
  wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/$VERSION/Python-$VERSION.tgz
  tar -xf Python-$VERSION.tgz
  • Step 2: Configure and Install 
      cd Python-${VERSION}
  mkdir /home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/${VERSION}/
  ./configure --prefix=/home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/${VERSION}/ --enable-optimizations
  make -j 12
  make -j 12 install
  • Step 3: Create Symbolic Links 
      ln -s /home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/3.10.12/bin/python3.10 /home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/3.10.12/bin/python
  ln -s /home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/3.10.12/bin/pip3 /home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/3.10.12/bin/pip
  • Step 4: Update PATH in bashrc Add the following line to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile file to ensure your new Python installation is in your PATH: 
      export PATH="/home/${USERNAME}/.localpython/3.10.12/bin:$PATH"

Installing Python using Miniconda

## this installs the version 3.11.4
wget https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh
bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -b -p miniconda

export PATH="/mnt/users/sagarst/bin/miniconda/bin:$PATH"
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/mnt/users/sagarst/bin/miniconda/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

Create the Virtual Environment

python -m venv sb_env
source /netscratch/sagar/thesis/sb_env/bin/activate
pip3 install torch==1.11.0 torchvision torchaudio --extra-index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu113

Installation of other packages without sudo

  1. Let’s suppose you want to install tree package without sudo.

     wget http://mama.indstate.edu/users/ice/tree/src/tree-2.0.2.tgz
 tar -xzvf tree-2.0.2.tgz
 ./configure --prefix=/home/sagar/.local/
 make PREFIX=/home/sagar/.local/ MANDIR=/home/sagar/.local/share/ install && chmod -v 644 /home/sagar/.local/share/

  2. Let’s suppose you want to install sox package without sudo. Here /netscratch/sagar/usr/share/sox is the destination dir.

     wget https://nav.dl.sourceforge.net/project/sox/sox/14.4.2/sox-14.4.2.tar.bz2
 tar -xf sox-14.4.2.tar.bz2
 ./configure --prefix=/netscratch/sagar/usr/share/sox
 make -s && make install