How to install lxml on Ubuntu

Ensuring a solid foundation

Before commencing with the lxml installation, ensure your system is up to date with the latest packages. To refresh your system's package index and upgrade all packages, run sudo apt-get update and sudo apt-get upgrade. Additionally, you can verify your Python version with python --version or python3 --version to ensure compatibility with the latest lxml version. You might also want to have build-essential installed, a package vital for compiling software, which can be done via sudo apt-get install build-essential.

Don't let install errors haunt you

If unpleasant errors pop up during installation, it's possibly due to version incompatibility. Conflicts may arise between the latest lxml version and your Python setup. Don’t lose heart, resolve this by installing an older version of lxml using pip install lxml==<older_version>.

64-bit systems might encounter certain compatibility issues. If you're in this boat, remember to install lib32z1-dev using sudo apt-get install lib32z1-dev. For Ubuntu 13.04 x64 specifically, installing zlib1g-dev to handle zlib dependencies is crucial. // #64bitProblems

For those in Vagrant land, ensure your VM has enough memory, or bump it up to 1024 MB, because successful compilation of lxml needs ample space. Always remember – more memory, fewer problems!

Making python pip up with joy

Traditional apt-get does the job, but we often need the latest version or an installation in an isolated environment. That's when pip and virtualenv enter the spotlight. Consider replacing easy_install by pip for its superior package management. With a virtualenv set up via virtualenv venv followed by source venv/bin/activate, you're ready to roll with pip install lxml. Just like Vagrant, but with less memory stress!

Plotting the install process

Installing lxml on Ubuntu is akin to constructing a building for your Python environment:

# Gathering our tools and materials
# or as they say, 'laying the foundation'
sudo apt-get install -y libxml2-dev libxslt-dev python-dev


# Building the house, brick by brick
# or in this case, code by code
pip install lxml


# Time to move in! 🎉
# Now, if only moving houses was this easy...
import lxml.etree


Crossing the hurdles

Before getting started with lxml, make sure necessary development packages like libxml2 and libxslt are already installed on your system. When troubleshooting, it's a good idea to refer to StackOverflow issues that others have posted regarding similar installation problems. Also, check for open pull requests on lxml's GitHub page for an ongoing fix for a similar issue, if any.

Keep the official lxml installation guide handy for properly configuring your system. Follow the specific Ubuntu instructions for a smoother install. Pro-tip: Installing dependencies such as libxml2-dev``, libxslt1-dev, and python-dev` collectively could significantly minimize conflict between dependent packages.

Unraveling the libraries mystery

Dealing with various dependencies can make the setup process confusing. Here, we've two routes. Firstly, we can install the pre-packaged version of lxml, python-lxml. Alternatively, for heightened control over the version/environment, going the pip route is recommended. Understanding the role of development libraries like libxml2-dev and libxslt1-dev is pivotal, as lxml is basically a wrapper for these C libraries.