Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python Functions, Packing, and Unpacking Introduction to Functions Calling a Function

Why python3 instead of python like in the previous videos?

Since before we used python to start up the interpreter if I'm not mistaken...

4 Answers

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,236 Points

You can still use "python". For a modern installation "python" is a shorthand for "python3". The instructor may have had an unusual configuration that required the longer name, or may have just typed it from habit.

Understood. Thank you

python3 specifies the version of python that is python version 3

so does that mean if I was using the python version 4 I would write python4?

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,236 Points

According to the creator of Python, Guido van Rossum, a version 4 is not likely. But generally, unless you have more than one version of Python installed, you would use just "python" to run the version you have.

thank you