Support for Python in the Research EnvironmentΒΆ
The Research Environment provides support for a number of python-based tools, supporting versions of python are 3.7 and above.
Support for python within the Genomics England Research Environment follows the python developers' support model, while still providing you with a reasonable window to complete projects on older versions where necessary. The policy is summarised in the following table:
| Python Version | Keep available in the TRE? | Package Installs? | Genomics England Support? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently supported by python developers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ceased to receive official support within last 12 months | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ceased to receive official support >12 months, <24 months | Yes | No | No |
| Support ceased > 24 months ago | No | No | No |
We encourage you to reach out to tool developers to request that these be updated to the newest Python versions.
Environments will only be retained where there is a demonstrated need to reserve the functionality. This situation currently extends to tools that require python 2.7. Aside from Python 2.7 which will need to be retained until some tools can be ported over, the Research Environment currently only supports python versions 3.6 and above.
As an example of the implementation of this policy, python 3.6 received its last security update on 23 Dec 2021, we will therefore only be approving the installation of packages for v3.6 until the end of 2022. Beyond this date, the existing language modules and packages will effectively be frozen and no new environments based on v3.6 will be created or packages that rely on this version will be installed. Beyond the end of 2023, we will reserve the right to remove python language modules, conda environments and associated packages.
Following the decommissioning of a given version of python it may still be possible to access tools that require the decommissioned version by using the Research Environment and HPC's ability to use containers. Please note that Genomics England cannot support or debug any user-generated container.