Timeline for python upgrade?

[DanPatterson]

Python... currently at the end of the 3.6 series in Pro (aka, 3.6.10).

Various packages that are used in the ecosystem are about to begin retiring 3.6.x.

For example... numpy will be saying goodbye

NEP 29 - Dropping Python version support · Issue #66 · dask/community · GitHub 

and, IPython

ipython/version7.rst at master · ipython/ipython · GitHub 

jupyterlab and jupyterlab-server... are they next?

Adopt NEP 29 (timeline for which versions of Python to support) · Issue #8577 · jupyterlab/jupyterla... 

Lots have been added to python  3.8.5 Documentation ... the last stable release

(don't forget to go back and check the 3.7 branch and look forward to 3.9/3.10 coming branches)

Is ArcMap the reason for the holdback?

Given that major and minor releases control substantive changes...

Releases and patches—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation 

and minor change from 2.5 to 2.6 didn't produce a python change AND minor changes seem to occur once a year around UC, does that mean that we have to wait until next year?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Kory Kramer‌ I will flag you and perhaps the comments on Beta 2 about python versions could be fleshed out here

[DanPatterson]

The walrus operator....

What’s New In Python 3.8 — Python 3.8.5 documentation 

math distance

math — Mathematical functions — Python 3.8.5 documentation 

[JoeBorgione]

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I'm struggling with a seemingly simple package install of the latest Spyder version 4.1.4 after upgrading to Pro 2.6.  Never in all the clones and upgrades I've performed have I had so much trouble.  I need to install mysql-connector and csv and once I add those after spyder, spyder does not execute.  After this years UC I thought maybe things might get easier: https://community.esri.com/thread/256608-python-the-road-ahead  but certainly not at 2.6

[DavidWasserman]

I am running into similar issues as I stated in Another Pro 2.6 Clone problem. This is one of the rougher upgrades I have done. I might go back  to 2.5.x.

[JoeBorgione]

It's pretty lame this time around.  I do need some new functionality the 2.6 has, so I'd like not to go back to 2.5. 

[DavidWasserman]

Agreed. I will let you know what my tests show in the other forum. Right now full repairs, uninstalls, deletions of environments etc- have not worked. The cloning process hits some validation errors, and in notebooks I can't import arcpy. 
Edit: On my recent uninstall attempt, I had a clone with no validation errors. So instead of repair, uninstalled ArcGIS Pro. Will check in soon. 

[JoeBorgione]

I ended up using a PIP install of the Mysql libraries I need into my clone and so (knock on wood) my Spyder install is still working.  I used a straight conda install of spyder 4.1.3.

Good Luck!

[DanPatterson]

A little light reading before someone else weighs in

https://community.esri.com/people/danretired/blog/2020/08/13/conda-the-dependency-trail 

[DanPatterson]

IPython won't install on 3.6 if IPython updated to 7.17... That will limit notebooks as well.

ipython/version7.rst at master · ipython/ipython · GitHub 

[ErikLash1]

Struggling here as well.  We require the new functionality of Pro 2.6 to support specialized geodatabase topologies but everything I try to do to make the scripting environment work properly in Pro 2.6 is ultimately unsuccessful. 

Another challenge being faced in regards to working in Pro 2.6 is that REST API documentation is terribly outdated - still promoting scripting in Py 2.7x. 

We are dilligently trying to move away from Py 2.7xx as we modernize. I'm unsure at this point if script tools I created for Pro in 2.4//Py 3.6.x for interacting with REST API (that worked fine in both Pro 2.4 and Pro 2.5) are failing in Pro 2.6 b/c of ESRI changes or because of Python.changes b/c of the other difficulties being encountered in working with the Pro 2.6 python environment.

One thing that I think would help would be if ESRI sever ties with Python 2.7 entirely. It's time.

Py 2.7 has been dead for a while already and the python multiple personalities/support for a dead code base is making it very very difficult to transition to modern workflows, especially since ESRI seems to be still promoting for Py 2.7 for working with their products in the API and it's still being delivered with their enterprise products at install.

On a related note - I had Jupyterlab working fine in Pro 2.5 and it was spectacular - imho a necessary integration into to the platform. Attempts to get either Jupyterlab or Spyder working properly in Pro 2.6 have been completely unsuccessful. Both of them result in broken enviornments on my workstation.