What linux distro is better suited for Python web development?

Question

Which linux distro is better suited for Python web development?

Background:

I currently develop on Windows and it's fine, but I am looking to move my core Python development to Linux. I'm sure most any distro will work fine, but does anyone have any reasons to believe one distro is better than another?

Answer 1

Largely distribution won't matter, as Python is present and largely self sufficient on virtually all Linux distributions.

If you're wanting to focus on development, I'd recommend Ubuntu. Ubuntu is arguably one of the most fully featured "ready for the user" distributions that makes system administration a snap, so you can focus on the development tasks you want to tackle.

If you have a Linux environment that's a target for your code (like say, RedHat or something), then go with the desktop distribution that matches your target environment (like, say, Fedora for RedHat, Gentoo for Gentoo, Ubuntu for Ubuntu Server, etc.)

Otherwise, all of them are suitable.

Answer 2

You distribution should have Python 2.6. Otherwise it's a matter of choice.

One advice: Never ever install anything as root (eg. python setup.py install). Only install things with your distribution's package manager and use virtualenv as a user to install other packages.

Ubuntu has a virtualenv package and it can even be used without being installed.