Beginning with 10.15, macOS doesn’t ship with Python anymore.
However, if you install the Xcode Command Line Tools, it will install Python solely because of their developer tool dependencies. It’s not really meant for end user development use. The longer term intent is to eliminate those dependencies but that’s a lot of work.
You probably see this version because you have the Command Line Tools installed. If you go to a macOS system without the Command Line Tools installed, you will get Apple’s deprecation notice when you try to run Python.
You're right. I installed the XCode command line tools as one of my first actions after getting the machine. I didn't realize that Python was no longer part of the stock configuration.
Yeah, I mean for at least a couple major versions, Apple stated Python was going to be deprecated in a future major release.
I learned this the hard way. I wrote a ~1,000 line Python script for our giant fleet of Macs only to discover Python was finally removed and that it was only present on my system, because I had installed the Command Line Tools.
However, if you install the Xcode Command Line Tools, it will install Python solely because of their developer tool dependencies. It’s not really meant for end user development use. The longer term intent is to eliminate those dependencies but that’s a lot of work.
You probably see this version because you have the Command Line Tools installed. If you go to a macOS system without the Command Line Tools installed, you will get Apple’s deprecation notice when you try to run Python.