PEP 826 – Python 3.16 Release Schedule | peps.python.org (original) (raw)
Author:
Savannah Ostrowski
Status:
Active
Type:
Informational
Topic:
Created:
23-Feb-2026
Python-Version:
3.16
Table of Contents
Abstract
This document describes the development and release schedule for Python 3.16.
Release manager and crew
- 3.16 release manager: Savannah Ostrowski
- Windows installers: Steve Dower
- Mac installers: Ned Deily
- Documentation: Julien Palard
Release schedule
3.16.0 schedule
The dates below use a 17-month development period that results in a 12-month release cadence between feature versions, as defined by PEP 602.
Expected:
- 3.16 development begins: Tuesday, 2026-05-05
- 3.16.0 alpha 1: Tuesday, 2026-10-13
- 3.16.0 alpha 2: Tuesday, 2026-11-10
- 3.16.0 alpha 3: Tuesday, 2026-12-15
- 3.16.0 alpha 4: Tuesday, 2027-01-12
- 3.16.0 alpha 5: Tuesday, 2027-02-09
- 3.16.0 alpha 6: Tuesday, 2027-03-09
- 3.16.0 alpha 7: Tuesday, 2027-04-13
- 3.16.0 beta 1: Tuesday, 2027-05-04 (No new features beyond this point.)
- 3.16.0 beta 2: Tuesday, 2027-05-25
- 3.16.0 beta 3: Tuesday, 2027-06-15
- 3.16.0 beta 4: Tuesday, 2027-07-13
- 3.16.0 candidate 1: Tuesday, 2027-07-27
- 3.16.0 candidate 2: Tuesday, 2027-08-31
- 3.16.0 final: Tuesday, 2027-10-05
Subsequent bugfix releases every two months.
3.16 lifespan
- Python 3.16 will receive bugfix updates approximately every second month for two years.
- Around the time of the release of 3.18.0 final, the final 3.16 bugfix update will be released.
- After that, it is expected that security updates (source only) will be released for the next three years, until five years after the release of 3.16.0 final, so until approximately October 2032.
Copyright
This document is placed in the public domain or under the CC0-1.0-Universal license, whichever is more permissive.