How to Install Cryptography in Python

Cryptography keeps information safe when sent between computers or stored on a computer. It involves changing readable text (plaintext) into unreadable text (ciphertext) and then back to readable text. Python has a cryptography library that helps us do this. With almost 50 million downloads, it’s one of the top 100 Python libraries. This library offers easy-to-use tools for common cryptographic tasks like encryption, hashing, and key generation. 

In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the steps of installing cryptography in Python on Windows and Linux.

Installing Cryptography in Python on Linux

You can install Cryptography in Python on a Linux machine. To do this, you must meet the prerequisites, and then you can proceed with the cryptography installation in Python, as described in the following steps:

Step 1: Prerequisites for Installing Cryptography

To install cryptography in Python, first, make sure Python and pip are set up on your Linux system. You can check if they’re installed by running the following commands:

python3 --version && pip --version

You can read our dedicated guides on installing Python on Ubuntu and pip on Windows and Linux if they are not already installed on your system.

Step 2: Install Cryptography Python Linux

Similarly, you can run the following command to install Cryptography on Linux:

pip install cryptography

However, while running this command, you may face the “externally-managed-environment” error:

In this case, you can create a virtual environment to avoid conflicts with system packages:

python3 -m venv myenv

Next, execute the source command to activate the newly created virtual environment:

source myenv/bin/activate

Finally, use the pip package manager to install cryptography in Python on Linux:

Step 3: Verify the Cryptography Installation

After the successful installation of Cryptography in Python, simply run the following command on your Linux system to confirm its installation:

pip show cryptography

You can also import and print the Python cryptography library version to verify its installation:

python -c "import cryptography; print(cryptography.__version__)"

Installing Cryptography in Python on Windows

The method for installing Cryptography in Python on a Windows machine is similar to that on Linux. Make sure you meet the prerequisites, and then you are ready to proceed with the installation process:

Step 1: Prerequisites for Installing Cryptography on Windows

Before installing the Cryptography library in Python, make sure that both Python and Pip are installed on your Windows system. You can verify their installation by using the following commands:

python3 --version && pip --version

Step 2: Install Cryptography Python Windows

Once prerequisites are set up and the system is updated, run the following command to install cryptography in Python:

pip install cryptography

Step 3: Verify the Cryptography Installation

After the successful installation of Cryptography in Python, simply run the following command on your Windows or Linux system to confirm its installation:

pip show cryptography

Alternatively, you can import the Python cryptography library to print its version:

python -c "import cryptography; print(cryptography.__version__)"

If the version number is displayed in your terminal without any errors, it means that cryptography is successfully installed:

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any errors while installing cryptography in Python, install the essential libraries first and then try the installation again with the following command:

sudo apt install build-essential libssl-dev libffi-dev python3-dev

That’s all about how to install cryptography in Python on Windows or Linux.

Conclusion

Python supports a cryptography library that provides essential tools for securing data. Cryptography makes it easy to perform tasks like encryption, hashing, and key management. In this article, we described the steps to install cryptography in Python on both Windows and Linux. Moreover, we explained how to set up prerequisites for cryptography, create virtual environments (if needed), verify the installation, and troubleshoot common errors.

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