Of course. While Python 3.4 is end-of-life and no longer supported, you might need it for legacy projects, specific libraries, or educational purposes. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to work with Python 3.4 on modern systems.

⚠️ Important Security and Compatibility Warning

Python 3.4 reached its official end-of-life on March 16, 2025.

This means:

• No Security Updates: It is vulnerable to known security exploits. Do not use it for any internet-facing or production system.
• No Bug Fixes: Issues you encounter will not be resolved.
• Outdated Libraries: Most modern Python packages (like numpy, pandas, requests) have dropped support for Python 3.4. You will not be able to install them.
• EOL in Pip: pip version 21.3 (released in 2025) dropped support for Python 3.4 and older. You will need to use an older version of pip.

Use it only for isolated, legacy, or offline development where you understand the risks.

Installation on Modern Operating Systems

The easiest and most recommended way to install an old Python version like 3.4 is by using a version manager. This avoids conflicts with your system's default Python.

Option A: Using pyenv (Recommended for macOS/Linux)

pyenv is a fantastic tool for managing multiple Python versions.

1. Install pyenv:

   • macOS (using Homebrew):

     brew install pyenv

   • Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):

     sudo apt-get update
     sudo apt-get install -y make build-essential libssl-dev zlib1g-dev \
     libbz2-dev libreadline-dev libsqlite3-dev wget curl llvm \
     libncursesw5-dev xz-utils tk-dev libxml2-dev libxmlsec1-dev libffi-dev liblzma-dev
     curl https://pyenv.run | bash

     (Follow the post-install instructions from the pyenv installer to add it to your shell's path).

2. Install Python 3.4:

   
   （图片来源网络，侵删）

   pyenv install 3.4.10

   Note: 4.10 is the final release of the 3.4 series.

3. Use Python 3.4:

   • For the current shell session:

     pyenv local 3.4.10

     This sets the Python version for the current directory and its subdirectories.

   • Globally for your user:

     pyenv global 3.4.10

   • Verify the installation:

     python --version
     # Should output: Python 3.4.10

Option B: Using asdf (Cross-Platform)

asdf is another popular, cross-platform version manager.

1. Install asdf: Follow the official instructions for your OS: asdf-vm.com

2. Install the Python plugin:

   asdf plugin-add python https://github.com/asdf-community/asdf-python.git

3. Install Python 3.4:

   asdf install python 3.4.10

4. Set the Python version:

   # Set for the current directory
   asdf local python 3.4.10
   # Set globally for your user
   asdf global python 3.4.10

Option C: Manual Installation (Linux)

You can sometimes find pre-compiled packages or build from source.

1. Install dependencies:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install -y build-essential zlib1g-dev libncurses5-dev libgdbm-dev libnss3-dev libssl-dev libreadline-dev libffi-dev libsqlite3-dev libbz2-dev

2. Download and compile from source:

   wget https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.4.10/Python-3.4.10.tgz
   tar -xvf Python-3.4.10.tgz
   cd Python-3.4.10
   ./configure --enable-optimizations
   make -j$(nproc)
   sudo make altinstall

   Use make altinstall to avoid overwriting your system's default python or python3 command.

Setting Up pip and virtualenv

This is the most critical step for working with Python 3.4.

Upgrade pip to a Compatible Version

You cannot use modern pip. You need to install an older version that still supports Python 3.4.

# After activating your Python 3.4 environment
python -m pip install --upgrade pip==20.3.4

pip==20.3.4 is the last version to support Python 3.4.

Create a Virtual Environment

Always use a virtual environment! This isolates your project's dependencies.

# Make sure you are in your project directory
python -m venv my_project_env
# Activate the environment
# On macOS/Linux:
source my_project_env/bin/activate
# On Windows:
my_project_env\Scripts\activate

Your command prompt will now change to show (my_project_env).

Installing Packages

This is where you will face the biggest challenges. You cannot install modern packages.

How to Find Compatible Packages

1. Check the Package's Documentation: Look at the package's PyPI page or documentation for its supported Python versions.
2. Use pip's --use-deprecated=legacy-resolver: The default resolver in modern pip is too aggressive. The legacy resolver is more likely to find an older, compatible version.
3. Find the Last Version that Supported Python 3.4: You can often find this on the package's PyPI page by looking at the "Release History".

Example: Installing requests

The last version of requests to support Python 3.4 was 27.1.

# Use the legacy resolver and specify the version explicitly
pip install --use-deprecated=legacy-resolver requests==2.27.1

Example: Installing beautifulsoup4

The last version to support Python 3.4 was 9.3.

pip install --use-deprecated=legacy-resolver beautifulsoup4==4.9.3

If you try to install a modern version, pip will fail with an error like ERROR: Cannot install ... because these package versions have conflicting dependencies.

A Complete Workflow Example

Here is a step-by-step example of setting up a legacy project.

# 1. Navigate to your project directory
cd my_legacy_project
# 2. Create and activate a virtual environment using Python 3.4
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
# 3. Upgrade pip to a compatible version
python -m pip install --upgrade pip==20.3.4
# 4. Install the required packages (from a requirements.txt file if you have one)
# Let's assume you need 'requests' and 'beautifulsoup4'
pip install --use-deprecated=legacy-resolver requests==2.27.1
pip install --use-deprecated=legacy-resolver beautifulsoup4==4.9.3
# 5. Run your script
python my_legacy_script.py

Summary