Release Date: Aug. 30, 2021

This is a security release of Python 3.8

Note: The release you're looking at is Python 3.8.12, a security bugfix release for the legacy 3.8 series. Python 3.11 is now the latest feature release series of Python 3. Get the latest release of 3.11.x here.

Security content in this release contains four fixes. There are also four additional fixes for bugs that might have lead to denial-of-service attacks. Finally, while we're not providing binary installers anymore, for those users who produce installers, we upgraded the OpenSSL version used to 1.1.1l. Take a look at the change log for details.

According to the release calendar specified in PEP 569, Python 3.8 is now in the "security fixes only" stage of its life cycle: 3.8 branch only accepts security fixes and releases of those are made irregularly in source-only form until October 2024. Python 3.8 isn't receiving regular bug fixes anymore, and binary installers are no longer provided for it. Python 3.8.10 was the last full bugfix release of Python 3.8 with binary installers.

Full Changelog