Sunsetting Python 2 Support in January 2020

[Martin Wicke]

The developers of the Python language will cease supporting Python 2.7 on January 1, 2020. Many of TensorFlow's Python dependencies will similarly stop supporting Python 2 on this date, and some even before (see python3statement.org).

Therefore, the TensorFlow project will stop supporting Python 2 when upstream support ends in 2020. After January 1, 2020, we will not distribute binaries for Python 2, and we will not require Python 2 compatibility for changes to the codebase. It is likely that TensorFlow will not work with Python 2 in 2020 and beyond. 

This will allow us to simplify our code and take advantage of new features in the current version of the Python language and standard library.

On behalf of the TensorFlow team,

Martin