René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"Windows BUILDING prerequisites options install differing Python versions","articleBody":"## Situation\n\nThe [BUILDING \u003e Windows Prerequisites](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#windows-prerequisites) documentation section lists three different options for installing prerequisites to build Node.js on Windows. The different options are not aligned with one another and result in different versions of [Python](https://www.python.org/downloads/) being installed:\n\n| Option                                                                                                                                  | Python version | Status             |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------------ |\n| [1: Manual install](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#option-1-manual-install)                                       | 3.13.9         | resolved PR #61428 |\n| [2: Automated install with WinGet](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#option-2-automated-install-with-winget)         | 3.12.10        | resolved PR #61431 |\n| [3: Automated install with Boxstarter](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#option-3-automated-install-with-boxstarter) | 3.14.2         | no change needed   |\n\n[GitHub Actions workflows](https://github.com/nodejs/node/tree/main/.github/workflows) are using `PYTHON_VERSION: '3.14'`\n\n## Suggestion\n\n1. Update the [manual install instructions](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#option-1-manual-install) to align with the Python 3.14 documentation [Using Python on Windows](https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html). Note that Python has [deprecated the full installer](https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#the-full-installer-deprecated) since version 3.14 and provides instead the [Python Install Manager](https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#pymanager). Python 3.13 is the highest version still available directly from the [Microsoft Store](https://apps.microsoft.com/store/search?publisher=Python+Software+Foundation).\n2. Update the [WinGet instructions](https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/BUILDING.md#option-3-automated-install-with-boxstarter) and [configurations](https://github.com/nodejs/node/tree/main/.configurations) to install Python 3.14","author":{"url":"https://github.com/MikeMcC399","@type":"Person","name":"MikeMcC399"},"datePublished":"2026-01-18T13:14:30.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":3},"url":"https://github.com/61427/node/issues/61427"}