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How to Fix Ubuntu Error: Failed Building Wheel for psycopg2

Did you know that the “Failed building wheel for psycopg2” error is a common issue when installing the `psycopg2` Python package on Ubuntu systems?

In fact, it is particularly common in Python versions 3.8 or 3.10.

This error usually pops up due to missing system dependencies required by the `psycopg2` package.

As a PostgreSQL adapter for Python, `psycopg2` needs certain system libraries and headers to be present. Today we are going to take a closer look at the error and how to fix it.

Missing System Dependencies

One of the most common causes of this error is the absence of necessary system dependencies. To fix this, install the required packages:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y python3-dev libpq-dev

These packages provide the headers and libraries needed to build the `psycopg2` package.

Outdated Pip and Setuptools

Sometimes, updating `pip` and `setuptools` can fix installation issues. So, upgrade these tools using:

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install --upgrade setuptools

Mismatch in Python Architecture

Also, make sure that the Python version and system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) are compatible. If there’s a mismatch, we have to install system dependencies that match our architecture.

Install psycopg2-binary Instead

We can consider installing the `psycopg2-binary` package instead of the standard `psycopg2`. The `psycopg2-binary` package is a pre-built binary distribution that can sometimes bypass compilation issues:

pip install psycopg2-binary

Use a Different Python Version

The error may be specific to the Python version we are using. So, try installing the package with a different Python version, such as Python 3.9 or 3.10.

Create a Virtual Environment

Furthermore, creating a virtual environment and installing `psycopg2` within it can help isolate and resolve issues. This can be done as seen here:

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install psycopg2

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Conclusion

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to fix Ubuntu Error: Failed Building Wheel for psycopg2.