We’ve just released a beta of the next Python install manager: Python Release Python install manager 26.3 beta 1 | Python.org
The main addition is user configuration for handling custom shebang commands. For context, we allow the py script.py command to interpret Unix-like shebangs to try and choose a more specific runtime - for example, #! /usr/bin/python3.14 is the equivalent of launching with py -V:3.14 script.py.
We also allow fall-throughs for Windows paths in the shebang, primarily because the previous launcher did it and, while we think it’s a security risk, it’s not severe enough to break compatibility (there’s an option to disallow it, and specifying a -V: option will then ignore the shebang).
With this update, we allow users to add a shebang_templates section to their configuration file to map additional shebangs to either a py -V:... command or a new command, which will either be interpreted by one of our standard templates or fall through to the PATH search or arbitrary-executable cases. In this way, a non-standard shebang (including Windows-style paths) can be mapped to a known runtime.
(We continue to resist making py.exe a universal launcher for all kinds of apps; it’s meant for launching Python.)
Also fixed in this update is URL escaping should now work properly in embedded credentials, entrypoints potentially being created outside of the intended directory, a bug that breaks uninstalling, and some minor py install --update issues.
Please post feedback at Issues · python/pymanager · GitHub. I’m particularly interested in how we should tweak the shebang templates feature.