Nuke in Progress - Python 3

As of Nuke 13.0, we are moving to VFX Reference Platform 2020. This brings updated core libraries—a key change for all pipelines with the introduction of Python 3. While a large change for many, including Foundry apps, support for Python 3 is a step forward in the industry and we’re looking forward to having Python 3 support in Nuke 13.0.

The move to Python 3 is driven by the end of life of Python 2 by the Python Software Foundation and the CY2020 libraries set by the VFX Reference Platform. This is a set of common tools and libraries that is set each year by the Visual Effects Society Technology Committee in collaboration with key VFX software companies, including Foundry. The aim of the VFX Reference Platform is to maximize compatibility between different software packages in studio pipelines.

Nuke 13.0 will be compatible only with Python 3, which means you may need to make changes to your pipeline scripts to accommodate the differences between Python 2 and Python 3 in order to adopt Nuke 13.0. For example, on Nuke Studio and Hiero, the export panels are mostly python-based, so if you have your own custom export panels or processes these are likely to need updates. We are in the process of updating our Python examples to make this transition easier for you and your teams.

We understand that moving to Python 3 is a big task for pipeline developers, and we’re planning to continue to support Nuke 12.2 for some time to help ease the transition to Nuke 13.0 and Python 3.

If you would like to get a head start on updating your pipeline to Nuke 13.0 and Python 3, you can request alpha access by emailing us at nuke-prerelease-private@foundry.com.