Python 2 - It Lives On Today

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Python 2 Support Ended in 2020

Python 2 was released in the year 2000 and was a major release of the Python programming language. It was widely adopted by developers and remained the primary version of Python for nearly two decades. The last stable release of Python 2, version 2.7, was released on July 3, 2010. After that, the Python community officially announced the end-of-life (EOL) for Python 2 on January 1, 2020.


Python 2 Is Still Being Used

Despite the announcement, Python 2 is still being used by a large number of companies and developers. According to a survey conducted by ActiveState, more than 40% of respondents were still using Python 2 as of 2020. This is because many companies have built their software systems on top of Python 2 and have invested a lot of time and resources into building and maintaining their Python 2 codebases.


Might Have Security Vulnerabilities

However, the use of Python 2 is not without its risks. One of the biggest concerns is security. Since Python 2 is no longer supported, it is not receiving security updates or bug fixes. This means that any security vulnerabilities or bugs that are discovered in Python 2 will not be patched, leaving companies and developers vulnerable to potential attacks.


Python 2 Developers

Another risk of using Python 2 is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find developers who are proficient in the language. As the Python community has moved on to Python 3, many developers have shifted their focus to the newer version, and fewer developers are interested in learning or working with Python 2.


Migrating from Python 2 to Python 3

So what happened to those companies that had millions of lines of Python 2 code? Many companies have been working on migrating their codebases to Python 3. However, this is not an easy task, especially for large and complex systems. It requires a significant amount of time and resources to migrate millions of lines of code, and it can be a risky process, as even small changes in code can have unintended consequences.


Python 3 Is Not Backward Compatible

One of the biggest challenges of migrating from Python 2 to Python 3 is the fact that the two versions are not backwards compatible. This means that code written for Python 2 will not work in Python 3 without modifications. Many companies had to rewrite significant portions of their code to make it compatible with Python 3.


Migrating to Python 3 Is a Massive Effort

Despite the challenges, many companies have successfully migrated to Python 3. For example, Dropbox, a company that had millions of lines of Python 2 code, announced in 2019 that they had completed their migration to Python 3. They described the process as "a massive effort that took multiple years, involved thousands of individual changes, and spanned hundreds of thousands of lines of code."


Instagram and Reddit

Other companies, such as Instagram and Reddit, have also successfully migrated to Python 3. In fact, Instagram reported that the performance of their Python code had improved significantly after the migration.


Python 2 Support

For companies that are still using Python 2, there are a few things they can do to mitigate the risks. One option is to use a third-party vendor that provides Python 2 support and security updates. Another option is to invest in training and resources to help developers learn Python 3 and migrate their code.


Python 2 Lives On Today

In conclusion, the legacy of Python 2 is still being felt in the developer community, with many companies continuing to use the language despite its end-of-life status. However, the risks associated with using Python 2, including security vulnerabilities and a shrinking pool of skilled developers, make it important for companies to consider migrating to Python 3. While the migration process can be challenging and time-consuming, many companies have successfully made the transition, and the benefits of using a supported and up-to-date version of Python are significant.



Image by Johnson Martin from Pixabay 

Image from Wikipedia

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