Now that we are on a release spree, here you have the first alpha release of Python 3.11: Python 3.11.0a1. Let the testing and validation games begin!

https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-3110a1/

Major new features of the 3.11 series, compared with 3.10

Python 3.11 is still in development. This release, 3.11.0a1 is the first of six planned alpha releases.

Alpha releases are intended to make it easier to test the current state of new features and bug fixes and to test the release process.

During the alpha phase, features may be added up until the start of the beta phase (2022-05-06) and, if necessary, may be modified or deleted up until the release candidate phase (2022-08-01). Please keep in mind that this is a preview release and its use is not recommended for production environments.

Many new features for Python 3.11 are still being planned and written. Among the new major new features and changes so far:

PEP 657 – Include Fine-Grained Error Locations in Tracebacks
PEP 654 – PEP 654 – Exception Groups and except*
(Hey, fellow core developer, if a feature you find important is missing from this list, let Pablo know.)

The next pre-release of Python 3.11 will be 3.11.0a2, currently scheduled for 2021-11-02.

And now for something completely different

Zero-point energy is the lowest possible energy that a quantum mechanical system may have. Unlike in classical mechanics, quantum systems constantly fluctuate in their lowest energy state as described by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. As well as atoms and molecules, the empty space of the vacuum has these properties. According to quantum field theory, the universe can be thought of not as isolated particles but as continuous fluctuating fields: matter fields, whose quanta are fermions (i.e., leptons and quarks), and force fields, whose quanta are bosons (e.g., photons and gluons). All these fields have a non zero amount of energy called zero-point energy. Physics currently lacks a full theoretical model for understanding zero-point energy; in particular, the discrepancy between theorized and observed vacuum energy is a source of major contention

We hope you enjoy those new releases!

Thanks to all of the many volunteers who help make Python Development and these releases possible! Please consider supporting our efforts by

volunteering yourself or through organization contributions to the Python Software Foundation.

Regards from cloudy London,

Your friendly release team,
Pablo Galindo @pablogsal
Ned Deily @nad
Steve Dower @steve.dower