chore: drop Python 3.9 support ahead of October 2025 EOL

Pouyanpi · Pouyanpi · commit 3f1ee6bc1831 · 2025-09-29T17:57:32.000+02:00
Python 3.9 reaches end-of-life on October 5, 2025. Remove support
across:
- CI/CD workflows (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI)
- Testing configurations (tox.ini)
- Development containers
- Documentation and requirements
diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # See here for image contents: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-dev-containers/tree/v0.245.2/containers/python-3/.devcontainer/base.Dockerfile
 
-# [Choice] Python version (use -bullseye variants on local arm64/Apple Silicon): 3, 3.10, 3.9, 3.8, 3.7, 3.6, 3-bullseye, 3.10-bullseye, 3.9-bullseye, 3.8-bullseye, 3.7-bullseye, 3.6-bullseye, 3-buster, 3.10-buster, 3.9-buster, 3.8-buster, 3.7-buster, 3.6-buster
+# [Choice] Python version (use -bullseye variants on local arm64/Apple Silicon): 3, 3.13, 3.12, 3.11, 3.10, 3-bullseye, 3.13-bullseye, 3.12-bullseye, 3.11-bullseye, 3.10-bullseye, 3-buster, 3.13-buster, 3.12-buster, 3.11-buster, 3.10-buster
 ARG VARIANT="3.10-bullseye"
 FROM mcr.microsoft.com/vscode/devcontainers/python:0-${VARIANT}
 
diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 		"dockerfile": "Dockerfile",
 		"context": "..",
 		"args": {
-			// Update 'VARIANT' to pick a Python version: 3, 3.10, 3.9, 3.8, 3.7, 3.6
+			// Update 'VARIANT' to pick a Python version: 3, 3.13, 3.12, 3.11, 3.10
 			// Append -bullseye or -buster to pin to an OS version.
 			// Use -bullseye variants on local on arm64/Apple Silicon.
 			"VARIANT": "3.10-bullseye",
diff --git a/.github/workflows/full-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/full-tests.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [Windows, macOS] # exclude Ubuntu as it is available in pr-tests
-        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
         include:
           - os: Windows
             image: windows-2022
diff --git a/.github/workflows/latest-deps-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/latest-deps-tests.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [Ubuntu]
-        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
         include:
           - os: Ubuntu
             image: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-tests.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [Ubuntu]
-        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
         include:
           - os: Ubuntu
             image: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-and-build-wheel.yml b/.github/workflows/test-and-build-wheel.yml
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
     steps:
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-published-dist.yml b/.github/workflows/test-published-dist.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
     steps:
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -49,10 +49,6 @@ cache:
 
 # Tests jobs
 
-python3.9:
-    <<: *test
-    image: python:3.9
-
 python3.10:
     <<: *test
     image: python:3.10
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -36,4 +36,4 @@ repos:
 #    rev: v2.17.0
 #    hooks:
 #      - id: pylint
-#        language_version: python3.9
+#        language_version: python3.10
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ If you would like to take on an issue, feel free to comment on the issue. We are
 
 To get started quickly, follow the steps below.
 
-1. Ensure you have Python 3.9+ and [Git](https://git-scm.com/) installed on your system. You can check your Python version by running:
+1. Ensure you have Python 3.10+ and [Git](https://git-scm.com/) installed on your system. You can check your Python version by running:
 
    ```bash
    python --version
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ NeMo Guardrails is an open-source toolkit for easily adding *programmable guardr
 
 ## Requirements
 
-Python 3.9, 3.10, 3.11 or 3.12.
+Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12 or 3.13.
 
 NeMo Guardrails uses [annoy](https://github.com/spotify/annoy) which is a C++ library with Python bindings. To install NeMo Guardrails you will need to have the C++ compiler and dev tools installed. Check out the [Installation Guide](https://docs.nvidia.com/nemo/guardrails/getting-started/installation-guide.html#prerequisites) for platform-specific instructions.
 
diff --git a/docs/getting-started/installation-guide.md b/docs/getting-started/installation-guide.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ The NeMo Guardrails SDK runs on CPUs. This SDK adds a layer to manage processes
 
 ### Software Requirements
 
-- Python 3.9, 3.10, or 3.11
+- Python 3.10, 3.11, 3.12 or 3.13
 
 ### Additional Dependencies
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ classifiers = [
   "Intended Audience :: Developers",
   "License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-  "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
@@ -46,11 +45,11 @@ repository = "https://github.com/NVIDIA/NeMo-Guardrails"
 nemoguardrails = "nemoguardrails.__main__:app"
 
 [tool.poetry.dependencies]
-python = ">=3.9,!=3.9.7,<3.14"
+python = ">=3.10,<3.14"
 aiohttp = ">=3.10.11"
 annoy = ">=1.17.3"
 fastapi = ">=0.103.0,"
-fastembed = [{ version = ">=0.2.2, <=0.6.0", python = ">=3.9,<3.14" }]
+fastembed = [{ version = ">=0.2.2, <=0.6.0", python = ">=3.10,<3.14" }]
 httpx = ">=0.24.1"
 jinja2 = ">=3.1.6"
 langchain = ">=0.2.14,<0.4.0"
@@ -82,8 +81,8 @@ langchain-openai = { version = ">=0.1.0", optional = true }
 
 # eval
 tqdm = { version = ">=4.65,<5.0", optional = true }
-streamlit = { version = "^1.37.0", optional = true, python = ">=3.9,!=3.9.7,<3.14" }
-tornado = { version = ">=6.5.0", optional = true, python = ">=3.9,!=3.9.7,<3.14" }
+streamlit = { version = "^1.37.0", optional = true, python = ">=3.10,<3.14" }
+tornado = { version = ">=6.5.0", optional = true, python = ">=3.10,<3.14" }
 pandas = { version = ">=1.4.0,<3", optional = true }
 numpy = [
   { version = ">=1.21", python = ">=3.10,<3.12" },
@@ -155,9 +154,11 @@ pyright = "^1.1.405"
 
 # Directories in which to run Pyright type-checking
 [tool.pyright]
-include = ["nemoguardrails/rails/**",
-           "nemoguardrails/actions/**",
-           "tests/test_callbacks.py"]
+include = [
+  "nemoguardrails/rails/**",
+  "nemoguardrails/actions/**",
+  "tests/test_callbacks.py",
+]
 
 [tool.poetry.group.docs]
 optional = true
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 # This is the recommended way to run tests with Poetry (https://python-poetry.org/docs/faq/#is-tox-supported)
 # How to use:
 # do
-# > pyenv install 3.9 3.10 3.11
-# > pyenv local 3.9 3.10 3.11
+# > pyenv install 3.10 3.11 3.12
+# > pyenv local 3.10 3.11 3.12
 
 [tox]
-envlist = py39, py310, py311, py312
+envlist = py310, py311, py312, py313
 
 [testenv]
 description = Run tests with pytest under different Python versions using Poetry
