I am starting on ESP8266 projects. I can get Windows IDE to recognize nodeMCU but

I prefer to work in Ubuntu.

Ubuntu IDE 1.8 returns an error saying minimum python support is 3.7. When I do python3 -VV it returns 3.8 but when I display sys.version_info it says 3.6 in the script. WTF?

IDE 2.0 fails waiting for header (A fatal esptool.py error occurred: Failed to connect to ESP8266: Timed out waiting for packet header.) I've asked this question web wise every way I can think of but no joy. Yes, I have tried all the bauds.

THE BIG POINT IS THAT IT WORKS ON WINDOWS BUT NOT UBUNTU! What am I missing in the Linux world?

Be kind, I'm a FNG to Arduino <2 months and getting really crabby!

You need to update your ubuntu with the latest version of python. It can be tricky as it appears you have two versions of it loaded. Maybe remove both then add the latest. That is what I did. The tools use some Python.

I tried removing them and bricked one of my machines. What procedure did you follow to fix your problem?

Well, an update. I finally got tired of only being able to use windoze for the ESPs. When I compiled verbosely, it showed me where the test for version was. I tried various means to trick it about version and, finally, just commented the test out completely.

I am writing this about a week after this mod and I have not bricked my test machine and I am able to compile and upload to the ESP, D1s et al.

Compile using verbose and it will tell you exactly where the version check is.

Solved. DO NOT USE THE SNAP VERSION OF ARDUINO IDE if you plan on using esp. esp uses strict C compiles and wants certain versions available.

It sandboxes or something stupid related to the snap store or or some security drivel.

OTOH, if anybody has a procedure to unsandbox, let us know!

I ended up with a reason to do a clean Ubuntu install and I downloaded the Arduino.cc version and, viola! All my troubles disappeared.

I hope other victims of the snap store see this and take my advice.

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