## Overview Node-Gyp version 8 requires [Python 3.6 and above](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp#on-unix). That was introduced when [support for Python 2 was dropped](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/pull/2333). Debian 9 (Stretch) comes with [Python 3.5](https://packages.debian.org/stretch/python3). It is in [LTS mode until the end of June 2022](https://www.debian.org/releases/stretch/). ## Problem [NPM upgraded to Version 8](https://github.com/npm/run-script/pull/39) of node-gyp, and support for Debian 9 was inadvertently dropped as a result. See full bug description here: https://github.com/npm/run-script/issues/40 ## Solution To allow NPM to use version 8 of node-gyp - set lowest required version of Python to 3.5 instead of 3.6.