[SulphurCrested]

python3 is a developer tool because it is the extension language for the lldb debugger. For example, I have python3 scripts for formatting my custom C++ data types, and that formatting also works in Xcode's visual debugger (which is presumably using the lldb API).

Previously, lldb's extension language was python2. This changed a release or two of Xcode ago. At that time, to use lldb scripts with that new release of Xcode you either had to run on Catalina (which added python3 to the existing python2) or install your own python3 and point lldb at that. This actually was what pushed me into moving to Catalina on my development system, because the Unicode handling would be much easier in python3.

As I understand it, Monterey and the Xcode that is released for it move the necessary python3 installation from the operating system itself to Xcode. I'm fine with that.

(I would not be fine with Apple telling me I have to go waste my time figuring out how to install a suitable python myself, when I never had to before. And indeed, many of their own developers may be like me and know a little Python but are in trepidation of the env thing.)

The way it was before meant that if they wanted to update python they had to release a new version of the operating system. This is clearly an imposition on the vast bulk of macOS users, who are not developers.