diff --git a/playbook.yml b/playbook.yml
index 5e51b97..1101a5b 100644
--- a/playbook.yml
+++ b/playbook.yml
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@
     - import_tasks: 'tasks/main.yml'
     - import_tasks: 'tasks/dotfiles.yml'
     - import_tasks: 'tasks/neovim.yml'
-    - name: gather the package facts
+    - name: gather package facts
       package_facts:
         manager: pacman
     - import_tasks: 'tasks/aur.yml'
       when: aur_packages|map(attribute='package_name')|list is not subset(ansible_facts.packages)
     - import_tasks: 'tasks/docker.yml'
+    - name: setup python versions
+      include_tasks: 'tasks/python.yml'
+      loop: '{{ python_versions }}'
   vars_files:
     - 'vars.yml'
diff --git a/tasks/python.yml b/tasks/python.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72bfbff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/python.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+- name: 'check for {{ item.binary }} binary'
+  command: 'which {{ item.binary }}'
+  changed_when: false
+  failed_when: python_installed.rc not in [ 0, 1 ]
+  register: python_installed
+
+- name: 'check for {{ item.binary }} download'
+  stat:
+    path: '{{ python_build_dir }}/python-{{ item.version }}.tgz'
+  register: python_download
+
+- block:
+    # TODO: verify for checksum
+    - name: 'retrieve python {{ item.version }} source'
+      become: true
+      get_url:
+        url: '{{ python_download_url }}/{{ item.version }}/Python-{{ item.version }}.tgz'
+        dest: '{{ python_build_dir }}/python-{{ item.version }}.tgz'
+        owner: '{{ ansible_user_id }}'
+        group: '{{ ansible_user_id }}'
+      when: not python_download.stat.exists
+
+    - name: 'extract python {{ item.version }} sources'
+      become: true
+      unarchive:
+        src: '{{ python_build_dir }}/python-{{ item.version }}.tgz'
+        dest: '{{ python_build_dir }}'
+        include: 'Python-{{ item.version }}'
+
+    - name: rename source directory
+      become: true
+      ansible.builtin.command: 'mv {{ python_build_dir}}/Python-{{ item.version }} {{ python_build_dir }}/{{ item.path }}'
+
+    - name: set correct permissions
+      become: true
+      file:
+        path: '{{ python_build_dir }}/{{ item.path }}'
+        recurse: true
+        owner: '{{ ansible_user_id }}'
+        group: '{{ ansible_user_id }}'
+        state: directory
+
+    - name: configure build
+      ansible.builtin.command: 'sh ./configure --prefix={{ python_install_dir }}/{{ item.path }}'
+      args:
+        chdir: '{{ python_build_dir }}/{{ item.path }}/'
+
+    - name: make build
+      ansible.builtin.command: 'make'
+      args:
+        chdir: '{{ python_build_dir }}/{{ item.path }}/'
+
+    - name: install build
+      become: true
+      ansible.builtin.command: 'make install'
+      args:
+        chdir: '{{ python_build_dir }}/{{ item.path }}/'
+
+    - name: 'create symlink for python {{ item.version }}'
+      become: true
+      file:
+        src: '{{ python_install_dir }}/{{ item.path }}/bin/{{ item.binary }}'
+        dest: '/usr/bin/{{ item.binary }}'
+        state: link
+  when: python_installed.rc not in [ 0 ]
diff --git a/vars.yml b/vars.yml
index 33623d2..b8a49fe 100644
--- a/vars.yml
+++ b/vars.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ ansible_connection: local
 ansible_python_interpreter: '/usr/bin/env python'
 
 packages:
-  - base-devel
   - python
   - git
   - vim
@@ -29,6 +28,8 @@ aur_packages:
     }
 
 aur_build_dir: '/usr/local/src'
+python_build_dir: '/usr/local/src'
+python_install_dir: '/opt'
 
 xdg_config_dir: '{{ ansible_env.HOME }}/.config'
 xdg_data_dir: '{{ ansible_env.HOME }}/.local/share'
@@ -68,5 +69,12 @@ language_servers:
   - vscode-langservers-extracted
   - typescript-language-server
 
+python_download_url: 'https://www.python.org/ftp/python'
+python_versions:
+  - { version: 3.9.14, path: 'python3.9', binary: 'python3.9' }
+  - { version: 3.8.14, path: 'python3.8', binary: 'python3.8' }
+  - { version: 3.7.14, path: 'python3.7', binary: 'python3.7' }
+  - { version: 3.6.15, path: 'python3.6', binary: 'python3.6' }
+
 gitlab_domain: 'git.fudiggity.nl'
 gitlab_host_key: 'git.fudiggity.nl ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAICNmvcxza79T7JZMkifmquwXH/kMUqDnKs9Oob+JrRvn'