How to install python2 virtualenv in debian 12

Question

I found a problem to install pyton2 virtualenv in debian 12.

To install python2 on debian 12 next command can be used:

sudo apt-get install python2

But virtualenv exists only python3-virtualenv

If try use: virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python py2venv Will raised error:

Exception: Wheel for wheel for Python 2.7 is unavailable. apt install python2-wheel-whl

If install virtualenv by pip it return:

error: externally-managed-environment

So it is not obvious how to install python 2 virtualenv on debian 12.

Answer 1

Solution:

1. remove python3-virtualenv

   sudo apt-get purge python3-virtualenv

2. sudo apt-get install python2

3. Install virtualenv version <= 20.21.1.

   sudo pip install virtualenv==20.21.1 --break-system-packages

   Instead --break-system-packages, can be used:

   • removing file /usr/lib/python3.x/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED)

   • adding following lines to ~/.config/pip/pip.conf:

     [global] break-system-packages = true see: How do I solve "error: externally-managed-environment" every time I use pip 3?

After virtualenv -p /usr/bin/python2 py2venv

should work.

Addition: As @matt noted debian 12 droped python2 support at all, so python distribution should be installed from debian 11 distro or conda is used.