Drop python 3.8 support

.github/workflows/prepare-release-pr.yml

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up Python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v5
       with:
-        python-version: "3.8"
+        python-version: "3.x"
 
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |

.github/workflows/test.yml

@@ -54,25 +54,24 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         name: [
-          "windows-py38",
-          "windows-py38-pluggy",
-          "windows-py39",
+          "windows-py39-unittestextras",
+          "windows-py39-pluggy",
+          "windows-py39-xdist",
           "windows-py310",
           "windows-py311",
           "windows-py312",
           "windows-py313",
 
-          "ubuntu-py38",
-          "ubuntu-py38-pluggy",
-          "ubuntu-py38-freeze",
-          "ubuntu-py39",
-          "ubuntu-py310",
+          "ubuntu-py39-lsof-numpy-pexpect",
+          "ubuntu-py39-pluggy",
+          "ubuntu-py39-freeze",
+          "ubuntu-py39-xdist",
+          "ubuntu-py310-xdist",
           "ubuntu-py311",
           "ubuntu-py312",
-          "ubuntu-py313",
-          "ubuntu-pypy3",
+          "ubuntu-py313-pexpect",
+          "ubuntu-pypy3-xdist",
 
-          "macos-py38",
           "macos-py39",
           "macos-py310",
           "macos-py312",
@@ -83,106 +82,122 @@ jobs:
         ]
 
         include:
-          - name: "windows-py38"
-            python: "3.8"
+          - name: "windows-py39-unittestextras"
+            python: "3.9"
             os: windows-latest
-            tox_env: "py38-unittestextras"
+            tox_env: "py39-unittestextras"
             use_coverage: true
-          - name: "windows-py38-pluggy"
-            python: "3.8"
+
+          - name: "windows-py39-pluggy"
+            python: "3.9"
             os: windows-latest
-            tox_env: "py38-pluggymain-pylib-xdist"
-          - name: "windows-py39"
+            tox_env: "py39-pluggymain-pylib-xdist"
+
+          - name: "windows-py39-xdist"
             python: "3.9"
             os: windows-latest
             tox_env: "py39-xdist"
+
           - name: "windows-py310"
             python: "3.10"
             os: windows-latest
             tox_env: "py310-xdist"
+
           - name: "windows-py311"
             python: "3.11"
             os: windows-latest
             tox_env: "py311"
+
           - name: "windows-py312"
             python: "3.12"
             os: windows-latest
             tox_env: "py312"
+
           - name: "windows-py313"
-            python: "3.13-dev"
+            python: "3.13"
             os: windows-latest
             tox_env: "py313"
 
-          - name: "ubuntu-py38"
-            python: "3.8"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-py39-lsof-numpy-pexpect"
+            python: "3.9"
             os: ubuntu-latest
-            tox_env: "py38-lsof-numpy-pexpect"
-            use_coverage: true
-          - name: "ubuntu-py38-pluggy"
-            python: "3.8"
+            tox_env: "py39-lsof-numpy-pexpect"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-py39-pluggy"
+            python: "3.9"
             os: ubuntu-latest
-            tox_env: "py38-pluggymain-pylib-xdist"
-          - name: "ubuntu-py38-freeze"
-            python: "3.8"
+            tox_env: "py39-pluggymain-pylib-xdist"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-py39-freeze"
+            python: "3.9"
             os: ubuntu-latest
-            tox_env: "py38-freeze"
-          - name: "ubuntu-py39"
+            tox_env: "py39-freeze"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-py39-xdist"
             python: "3.9"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "py39-xdist"
-          - name: "ubuntu-py310"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-py310-xdist"
             python: "3.10"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "py310-xdist"
+
           - name: "ubuntu-py311"
             python: "3.11"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "py311"
             use_coverage: true
+
           - name: "ubuntu-py312"
             python: "3.12"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "py312"
             use_coverage: true
-          - name: "ubuntu-py313"
-            python: "3.13-dev"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-py313-pexpect"
+            python: "3.13"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "py313-pexpect"
             use_coverage: true
-          - name: "ubuntu-pypy3"
+
+          - name: "ubuntu-pypy3-xdist"
             python: "pypy-3.9"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "pypy3-xdist"
 
-          - name: "macos-py38"
-            python: "3.8"
-            os: macos-latest
-            tox_env: "py38-xdist"
+
           - name: "macos-py39"
             python: "3.9"
             os: macos-latest
             tox_env: "py39-xdist"
             use_coverage: true
+
           - name: "macos-py310"
             python: "3.10"
             os: macos-latest
             tox_env: "py310-xdist"
+
           - name: "macos-py312"
             python: "3.12"
             os: macos-latest
             tox_env: "py312-xdist"
+
           - name: "macos-py313"
-            python: "3.13-dev"
+            python: "3.13"
             os: macos-latest
             tox_env: "py313-xdist"
 
+
           - name: "plugins"
             python: "3.12"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "plugins"
 
+
           - name: "doctesting"
-            python: "3.8"
+            python: "3.9"
             os: ubuntu-latest
             tox_env: "doctesting"
             use_coverage: true
@@ -192,12 +207,12 @@ jobs:
         contains(
           fromJSON(
             '[
-              "windows-py38-pluggy",
+              "windows-py39-pluggy",
               "windows-py313",
-              "ubuntu-py38-pluggy",
-              "ubuntu-py38-freeze",
+              "ubuntu-py39-pluggy",
+              "ubuntu-py39-freeze",
               "ubuntu-py313",
-              "macos-py38",
+              "macos-py39",
               "macos-py313"
             ]'
           ),

.pre-commit-config.yaml

@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ repos:
     rev: v3.19.0
     hooks:
     -   id: pyupgrade
+        args:
+          - "--py39-plus"
+        # Manual because ruff does what pyupgrade does and the two are not out of sync
+        # often enough to make launching pyupgrade everytime worth it
         stages: [manual]
 -   repo: local
     hooks:

CONTRIBUTING.rst

@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ Here is a simple overview, with pytest-specific bits:
 
 #. Run all the tests
 
-   You need to have Python 3.8 or later available in your system.  Now
+   You need to have Python 3.9 or later available in your system.  Now
    running tests is as simple as issuing this command::
 
     $ tox -e linting,py39

README.rst

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Features
 - Can run `unittest <https://docs.pytest.org/en/stable/how-to/unittest.html>`_ (or trial)
   test suites out of the box
 
-- Python 3.8+ or PyPy3
+- Python 3.9+ or PyPy3
 
 - Rich plugin architecture, with over 1300+ `external plugins <https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/reference/plugin_list.html>`_ and thriving community
 

changelog/12874.breaking.rst

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+We dropped support for Python 3.8 following its end of life (2024-10-07).

doc/en/backwards-compatibility.rst

@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ Released pytest versions support all Python versions that are actively maintaine
 ==============  ===================
 pytest version  min. Python version
 ==============  ===================
+8.4+            3.9+
 8.0+            3.8+
 7.1+            3.7+
 6.2 - 7.0       3.6+

pyproject.toml

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ authors = [
     { name = "Florian Bruhin" },
     { name = "Others (See AUTHORS)" },
 ]
-requires-python = ">=3.8"
+requires-python = ">=3.9"
 classifiers = [
     "Development Status :: 6 - Mature",
     "Intended Audience :: Developers",
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ classifiers = [
     "Operating System :: POSIX",
     "Operating System :: Unix",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only",
-    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
@@ -84,9 +83,8 @@ scripts.pytest = "pytest:console_main"
 write_to = "src/_pytest/_version.py"
 
 [tool.black]
-target-version = [
-    'py38',
-]
+# See https://black.readthedocs.io/en/stable/usage_and_configuration/the_basics.html#t-target-version
+target-version = [ "py39", "py310", "py311", "py312", "py313" ]
 
 [tool.ruff]
 line-length = 88
@@ -230,7 +228,6 @@ disable = [
     "deprecated-argument",
     "deprecated-attribute",
     "deprecated-class",
-    "deprecated-typing-alias",
     "disallowed-name",                        # foo / bar are used often in tests
     "duplicate-code",
     "else-if-used",                           # not activated by default, PLR5501 disabled in ruff
@@ -508,7 +505,7 @@ files = [
 mypy_path = [
     "src",
 ]
-python_version = "3.8"
+python_version = "3.9"
 check_untyped_defs = true
 disallow_any_generics = true
 disallow_untyped_defs = true

scripts/generate-gh-release-notes.py

@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from collections.abc import Sequence
 from pathlib import Path
 import re
 import sys
-from typing import Sequence
 
 import pypandoc
 

scripts/update-plugin-list.py

@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 # mypy: disallow-untyped-defs
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from collections.abc import Iterable
+from collections.abc import Iterator
 import datetime
 import pathlib
 import re
 from textwrap import dedent
 from textwrap import indent
 from typing import Any
-from typing import Iterable
-from typing import Iterator
 from typing import TypedDict
 
 import packaging.version