ipython / ipython/ipykernel

Segfault launching ipykernel on Python 3.12.3 in VS Code Jupyter (works on Python 3.11)

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Python
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Description

### **Summary**
## Summary

A Jupyter kernel startup failure occurs when launching `ipykernel` under Python `3.12.3` inside the project virtual environment. The process crashes with `Segmentation fault` during `IPKernelApp` initialization. The same kernel startup works correctly on Python `3.11.15`.

This appears to be a bug in the `ipykernel` / `IPython` startup path for Python 3.12 rather than a notebook-specific issue.

---

## Reproduction Steps

1. Open the project directory:
```bash
cd /home/alvaritogsg/personalProjects/nuclioShool/nuclio_charlas
```
2. Activate the virtual environment:
```bash
. .venv/bin/activate
```
3. Run the kernel launcher directly with faulthandler:
```bash
python3 -X faulthandler -m ipykernel_launcher -f /tmp/test_kernel.json
```
4. Observe the crash:
- `Segmentation fault (core dumped)`
- No `/tmp/test_kernel.json` file is created.

5. Compare with Python 3.11:
```bash
python3.11 -X faulthandler -m ipykernel_launcher -f /tmp/test_kernel_py311.json
```
6. The Python 3.11 kernel starts successfully and remains alive.

---

## Actual Behavior

The kernel process crashes immediately with a segmentation fault while initializing the IPython kernel application.

The stack trace includes:

- `logging/__init__.py`
- `IPython/core/application.py`
- `ipykernel/kernelapp.py`
- `traitlets/config/application.py`
- `ipykernel_launcher.py`

Loaded native extension modules at the time of the crash:

- `zmq.backend.cython._zmq`
- `tornado.speedups`
- `psutil._psutil_linux`

VS Code reports:

The error displaed by VS Code was:

> `Error: El kernel ha muerto. Error: ... Vea Jupyter [log](command:jupyter.viewOutput) para obtener más detalles.`

- The execution that is falling is: `~python -m ipykernel_launcher`
- The check command `python -c "import ipykernel; print(...)"` works correctly.
---

## Expected Behavior

The kernel should start normally and create a connection file such as `/tmp/test_kernel.json`. Jupyter frontends should be able to connect to the kernel without the process dying.

---

## Environment

- OS: Linux (WSL/Remote VS Code)
- VS Code Jupyter extension: `2025.9.1`
- Python 3.12.3 virtualenv: `/home/alvaritogsg/personalProjects/nuclioShool/nuclio_charlas/.venv`

### Package Versions in `.venv`

- `ipython 9.12.0`
- `ipykernel 7.2.0`
- `jupyter-client 8.8.0`
- `jupyter-core 5.9.1`
- `traitlets 5.14.3`
- `tornado 6.5.5`
- `pyzmq 27.1.0`
- `psutil 7.2.2`

### Python Version Comparison

- Python 3.12.3: fails
- Python 3.11.15: works

The working Python 3.11 environment was tested using a temporary venv and a similar `ipykernel_launcher` command.

---

## Additional Notes

- `python3 -m IPython --help` works and even `python3 -m ipykernel_launcher --help` succeeds, but actual kernel startup still crashes.
- The crash appears to happen before any frontend-level Jupyter communication begins, so this is likely not a VS Code issue.
- The failing path is likely in the `ipykernel` / `IPython` initialization logic, possibly specific to Python 3.12 in this environment.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the failure with `python3 -X faulthandler -m ipykernel_launcher -f /tmp/test_kernel.json`, then compare it with the working Python 3.11 command. Start from `ipykernel_launcher.py`, `ipykernel/kernelapp.py`, and the listed native extensions; done means Python 3.12 starts the kernel and creates its connection file without a segmentation fault.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
jupyter, jupyter-notebook, python
Domain
backend, devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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