Python: sys.platform Incorrect result

Question

I use Python shell under Ubuntu 13.10. My Linux Kernel version is "3.11.0-13-generic". So why in Python variable "sys.platform" stored value "Linux2" instead of "Linux3"?

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score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 22 '13 at 14:43

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From the docs:

Changed in version 2.7.3: Since lots of code check for sys.platform == 'linux2', and there is no essential change between Linux 2.x and 3.x, sys.platform is always set to 'linux2', even on Linux 3.x.

answered Nov 22 '13 at 14:43

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams

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score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 22 '13 at 14:42

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According to the documentation:

sys.platform is always set to 'linux2', even on Linux 3.x. In Python 3.3 and later, the value will always be set to 'linux', so it is recommended to always use the startswith idiom presented above.

answered Nov 22 '13 at 14:42

Andy

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score 1 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

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Because sys.platform isn't a kernel version. It's a string added to the python binary or library when it's compiled. It's always linux2 on linux except after Python 3.3 when it changed to just linux.

Possible values from sys.platform?

edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

Community

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answered Nov 22 '13 at 14:42

SpliFF

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Python: sys.platform Incorrect result

3 Answers3