In many Linux distributions, the command `python` continues to resolve to Python 2.x for backward compatibility, which can undoubtedly create frustrations when working with modern libraries and projects that rely on Python 3. To address the issue where scripts default to Python 2 when using the shebang line `#!/usr/bin/env python`, you have a few options. First, creating an alias is a straightforward method, allowing you to temporarily redirect `python` to `python3` in your shell environment. You can add the line `alias python=’python3’` to your shell configuration file (like `.bashrc` or `.bash_profile`), but this only impacts your user account and not globally across the system. Be cautious, though, as this could lead to confusion or conflicts in environments expecting Python 2. Therefore, while this is an easy fix, it is not a complete solution for scripts executed in different user contexts.

The more robust approach involves creating a symlink named `python` that points to `python3`. This can often be done with a command like `sudo update-alternatives –install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 2`, but be mindful: this action can break existing scripts that specifically call Python 2. If you have legacy scripts or systems that depend on Python 2, consider modifying individual shebang lines to `#!/usr/bin/env python3`, which provides explicit instruction without affecting the system-wide configuration. Alternatively, you can employ a version management tool like `pyenv` to handle multiple Python versions more cleanly and avoid potential conflicts altogether. Ultimately, ensure you thoroughly test your existing scripts and dependencies after making such changes to prevent disruption in your workflow during this transitional phase between Python 2 and Python 3.