Python Basics — Python 2 vs Python 3

Python 2 vs Python 3

If you’ve browsed Python tutorials or Stack Overflow answers, you’ve probably seen code written for both Python 2 and Python 3. This can be confusing for beginners.

Here’s the short answer: Always use Python 3. Python 2 is dead.

Python 2 reached its end of life on January 1, 2020. It no longer receives security patches, bug fixes, or updates of any kind.

Key Differences

Feature	Python 2	Python 3
print	print "Hello" (statement)	print("Hello") (function)
Division	5 / 2 = 2 (integer division)	5 / 2 = 2.5 (true division)
Strings	ASCII by default	Unicode by default
range()	Returns a list	Returns an iterator (memory efficient)
input()	raw_input() for strings	input() always returns string
Unicode	u"text" for Unicode	All strings are Unicode
Syntax	except Exception, e:	except Exception as e:
Status	End of life (Jan 2020)	Actively developed
Support	No updates	Regular updates

The print Statement vs Function

This is the most visible difference you’ll encounter in old code:

Python 2:

print "Hello, World!"
print "Name:", name

Python 3:

print("Hello, World!")
print("Name:", name)

In Python 3, print() is a function — it uses parentheses. This is more consistent with the rest of the language.

Integer Division

This one catches people off guard:

Python 2:

>>> 5 / 2
2          # Truncates the decimal!
>>> 5.0 / 2
2.5        # Only works with floats

Python 3:

>>> 5 / 2
2.5        # True division by default
>>> 5 // 2
2          # Use // for integer division

Python 3 does what you’d expect — 5 / 2 gives you 2.5. If you want integer division, you explicitly use //.

Unicode Strings

Python 2:

>>> type("hello")
<type 'str'>           # bytes, not Unicode
>>> type(u"hello")
<type 'unicode'>       # need u prefix for Unicode

Python 3:

>>> type("hello")
<class 'str'>          # Unicode by default

Python 3 handles international text (emojis, Chinese characters, Arabic script) out of the box.

Why Python 2 Was Retired

• Python 2 had fundamental design limitations
• Maintaining two parallel versions split community effort
• The Python 2 to 3 migration was announced over a decade in advance
• January 1, 2020 was the final cutoff date
• No security patches means using Python 2 is a security risk

What If You See Python 2 Code?

You’ll occasionally encounter Python 2 code in:

• Old Stack Overflow answers (especially pre-2020)
• Legacy projects that haven’t been migrated
• Older textbooks and tutorials

How to spot Python 2 code:

• print without parentheses → Python 2
• raw_input() → Python 2
• except Exception, e: → Python 2
• xrange() → Python 2

What to do: Mentally convert it to Python 3 syntax, or search for a newer answer.

The Only Choice: Python 3

For this entire tutorial — and for anything new you build — use Python 3. Specifically, Python 3.10 or newer, which gives you access to modern features like:

• Structural pattern matching (match/case)
• Better error messages
• Performance improvements
• Type hints and annotations

Check your Python version:

python --version
# or
python3 --version

Expected output:

Python 3.12.1

If you see Python 2.x, you need to install Python 3. We’ll cover that in the next section.

Summary

• Python 2 reached end of life on January 1, 2020
• Python 3 is the only actively maintained version
• Key differences: print() function, true division, Unicode by default
• Always use Python 3.10+ for new projects
• If you see Python 2 code online, convert it to Python 3 syntax

---

Next up: Installation & Setup →