Python Lands on the Windows 10 App Store

Python Software Foundation recently released Python 3.7 as an app on the official Windows 10 app store. Python 3.7 is now available to install from the Microsoft Store, meaning you no longer need to manually download and install the app from the official Python website.

Python joins a bunch of other advanced apps and tools that have been coming to the Windows 10 app store over the last year or so. A bunch of different Linux distros are already available through the Microsoft Store, and the addition of Python should be welcomed by many developers. The app listing was first noticed by WalkingCat on Twitter.

Since Python is quite easy to learn and write programs with, the launch of Python on the Microsoft Store could also help students. Python is widely used by schools (especially in the UK) to teach kids basic programming skills, and being available from the Microsoft Store could really make installing it much easier than before. And as kids that are just getting into learning about computers and programming, they could easily get confused with the traditional Python installer, and the availability from the Microsoft Store helps change that.

And for advanced users, Python 3.7 will work fairly well for most users. However, there is one limitation. “Because of restrictions on Microsoft Store apps, Python scripts may not have full write access to shared locations such as TEMP and the registry. Instead, it will write to a private copy. If your scripts must modify the shared locations, you will need to install the full installer,” the Python Software Foundation stated in the official Python Docs.

You can get Python from the Microsoft Store here.

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Conversation 19 comments

  • dcdevito

    03 January, 2019 - 2:06 pm

    <p>Is this sandboxed in any way? I often have issues with running Python 2.x and 3.x on the same system, this looks like it could be a fix for me. </p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      03 January, 2019 - 3:03 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390412">In reply to dcdevito:</a></em></blockquote><p>It must be. From the end of the article.</p><p><br></p><p>“Because of restrictions on Microsoft Store apps, Python scripts may not have full write access to shared locations such as TEMP and the registry. Instead, it will write to a private copy. If your scripts must modify the shared locations, you will need to install the full installer,” the Python Software Foundation stated<a href="https://docs.python.org/3.7/using/windows.html&quot; target="_blank"> in the official Python Docs.</a></p>

  • jules_wombat

    03 January, 2019 - 2:25 pm

    <p>Interesting, but so begat the whole pain of python dependencies, incompatible module versions and environments. Developing significant working python stack configurations is not for the faint hearted. </p>

    • simont

      Premium Member
      03 January, 2019 - 2:31 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390419">In reply to Jules_Wombat:</a></em></blockquote><p>I would assume developers would use the regular full install, this would be more for hobbyists and schools where it is easier to manage the installation.</p>

    • mrdrwest

      03 January, 2019 - 3:10 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390419">In reply to Jules_Wombat:</a></em></blockquote><p>A necessary evil for developers: Just do it!</p>

    • Alastair Cooper

      06 January, 2019 - 6:25 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390419">In reply to Jules_Wombat:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I have largely given up on virtualenvs and conda and use Docker for python environments these days. </p>

  • mrdrwest

    03 January, 2019 - 3:14 pm

    <p>I already have Python installed on my W10 host and my three WSL distros; Ubuntu 18.04, Debian 9, and Kali.</p><p><br></p><p>I'll give the store version a go to see if it will peacefully coexist and determine what its limitation are.</p>

    • Simard57

      04 January, 2019 - 9:29 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390438">In reply to mrdrwest:</a></em></blockquote><p>report back what you learn</p><p><br></p>

  • RM

    03 January, 2019 - 3:18 pm

    <p>The restrictions on the Microsoft Store apps needs to go away and be replaced with a permissions request like getting access to a computer's location, microphone, or pictures. Maybe make it a special message for such a sensitive type of request. Microsoft could control what apps in the store can make use of these special permissions.</p>

    • warren

      03 January, 2019 - 6:15 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390440">In reply to RM:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>What does showing an iOS-style permissions dialog have to do with the article?</p><p><br></p><p>If you're commenting on the identified restrictions with being able to write to the Temp folder, take a step back and give it a second thought. What's the upside to having every application share a single Temp folder? Maybe it seemed like a good idea in the 1990s, but, come on, we know better now…. the Temp folder is a fantastic place to snoop on what the user is doing, or to inject malware. UWP is doing it right by outright denying access to that shared folder.</p><p><br></p><p>Heck, the only reason we have these messy temp folders that need Disk Cleanup, CCleaner or whatever, is because the original model of sharing a single temp folder is fundamentally flawed!</p><p><br></p>

    • JoePaulson

      03 January, 2019 - 11:33 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390440">In reply to RM:</a></em></blockquote><p>uh….no? A user shouldn't get to decide to let an application barf all over the system….the entire point of the way the store works it to keep stuff clean.</p>

  • Aritting

    03 January, 2019 - 3:31 pm

    <p>The Talk Python to Me podcast has a discussion with developer Steve Dower who is responsible for putting the app on the store: https://talkpython.fm/episodes/show/191/python-s-journey-at-microsoft </p>

  • aelaan

    03 January, 2019 - 9:05 pm

    <p>Well…. I am not having much luck installing it…. I cannot select my own machine? Ignored!</p>

    • Simard57

      04 January, 2019 - 9:30 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#390652">In reply to aelaan:</a></em></blockquote><p>I had same issue but it was because the version of Windows 10 was unsupported. Once I upgraded to 1809, it installed</p><p><br></p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    03 January, 2019 - 9:28 pm

    <p>Does pip work with Python from the MSFT Store?</p>

  • dontbe evil

    04 January, 2019 - 12:33 am

    <p>but but windows store sucks, you cannot do anything with it /s</p>

    • rdenos

      05 January, 2019 - 7:26 am

      <blockquote><a href="#390705"><em>In reply to dontbe_evil:</em></a><em> Apperently you can install Python 3.7 with it… </em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • mackrevinack

    09 January, 2019 - 4:46 pm

    <p>"meaning you no longer need to manually download and install the app from the official Python website"</p><p><br></p><p>choco install python</p><p><br></p><p>or use boxstarter + gist to install it when you set up your computer the first time</p>

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