Why Installation of Cryptography python package is failing?

Question

I am trying to install a package Cryptography in Python but each time I try it's failing with error.
Command I used to install this package is: pip install cryptography==2.8
Error I'm getting is as follows:

Collecting cryptography==2.8
Using cached cryptography-2.8.tar.gz (504 kB)
Installing build dependencies ... done
Getting requirements to build wheel ... done
Preparing wheel metadata ... done
Requirement already satisfied: cffi!=1.11.3,>=1.8 in c:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\lib\site-packages (from cryptography==2.8) (1.14.5)
Requirement already satisfied: six>=1.4.1 in c:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\lib\site-packages (from cryptography==2.8) (1.15.0)
Requirement already satisfied: pycparser in c:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\lib\site-packages (from cffi!=1.11.3,>=1.8->cryptography==2.8) (2.20) 
Building wheels for collected packages: cryptography
Building wheel for cryptography (PEP 517) ... error
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
command: 'c:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\python.exe' 'c:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\lib\site-packages\pip\_vendor\pep517\_in_process.py' build_wheel 'C:\Users\abcd\AppData\Local\Temp\tmply9tk3q1'
cwd: C:\Users\abcd\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-hespmf8p\cryptography_59cf671691e246028ecf9a6a37f5e88c
Complete output (137 lines):
running bdist_wheel
running build
running build_py
creating build
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography
copying src\cryptography\exceptions.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography
copying src\cryptography\fernet.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography
copying src\cryptography\utils.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography
copying src\cryptography\__about__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography
copying src\cryptography\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\_der.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\_oid.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\base.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\certificate_transparency.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\extensions.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\general_name.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\name.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\ocsp.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\oid.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
copying src\cryptography\x509\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\x509
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\interfaces.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\bindings
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\bindings
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\cmac.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\constant_time.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\hashes.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\hmac.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\keywrap.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\padding.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\poly1305.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\aead.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\backend.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\ciphers.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\cmac.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\decode_asn1.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\dh.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\dsa.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\ec.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\ed25519.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\ed448.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\encode_asn1.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\hashes.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\hmac.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\ocsp.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\poly1305.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\rsa.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\utils.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\x25519.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\x448.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\x509.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\backends\openssl
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl\binding.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl\_conditional.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\bindings\openssl
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\dh.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\dsa.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\ec.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\ed25519.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\ed448.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\padding.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\rsa.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\utils.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\x25519.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\x448.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\asymmetric
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers\aead.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers\algorithms.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers\base.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers\modes.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\ciphers
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\concatkdf.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\hkdf.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\kbkdf.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\pbkdf2.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\scrypt.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\x963kdf.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\kdf
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization\base.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization\pkcs12.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization\ssh.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\serialization
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor\hotp.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor\totp.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor\utils.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor
copying src\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.9\cryptography\hazmat\primitives\twofactor
running egg_info
writing src\cryptography.egg-info\PKG-INFO
writing dependency_links to src\cryptography.egg-info\dependency_links.txt
writing requirements to src\cryptography.egg-info\requires.txt
writing top-level names to src\cryptography.egg-info\top_level.txt
reading manifest file 'src\cryptography.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
reading manifest template 'MANIFEST.in'
no previously-included directories found matching 'docs\_build'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'vectors'
warning: no previously-included files matching '*' found under directory 'vectors'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'azure-pipelines.yml'
warning: no previously-included files found matching '.azure-pipelines'
warning: no previously-included files found matching '.travis.yml'
warning: no previously-included files found matching '.travis'
warning: no previously-included files matching '*' found under directory '.azure-pipelines'
warning: no previously-included files matching '*' found under directory '.travis'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'release.py'
warning: no previously-included files found matching '.coveragerc'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'codecov.yml'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'dev-requirements.txt'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'rtd-requirements.txt'
warning: no previously-included files found matching 'tox.ini'
writing manifest file 'src\cryptography.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
running build_ext
generating cffi module 'build\\temp.win-amd64-3.9\\Release\\_padding.c'
creating build\temp.win-amd64-3.9
creating build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release
generating cffi module 'build\\temp.win-amd64-3.9\\Release\\_constant_time.c'
generating cffi module 'build\\temp.win-amd64-3.9\\Release\\_openssl.c'
building '_openssl' extension
creating build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\build
creating build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\build\temp.win-amd64-3.9
creating build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.28.29910\bin\HostX86\x64\cl.exe /c /nologo /Ox /W3 /GL /DNDEBUG /MD -Ic:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\include -Ic:\users\abcd\appdata\local\programs\python\python39\include -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.28.29910\ATLMFC\include -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.28.29910\include -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\NETFXSDK\4.8\include\um -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\shared -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\um -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\winrt -IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\cppwinrt /Tcbuild\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\_openssl.c /Fobuild\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\_openssl.obj   
_openssl.c
build\temp.win-amd64-3.9\Release\_openssl.c(575): fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'openssl/opensslv.h': No such file or directory
error: command 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Enterprise\\VC\\Tools\\MSVC\\14.28.29910\\bin\\HostX86\\x64\\cl.exe' failed with exit code 2    
----------------------------------------
ERROR: Failed building wheel for cryptography
Failed to build cryptography
ERROR: Could not build wheels for cryptography which use PEP 517 and cannot be installed directly

Not sure what could be the wrong here. Earlier I had got Something related to Wheely package and so I installed that package and there after it's throwing this error.
I am new to Python and I am from.Net background, so facing difficulties dealing with Python packages.
Any help is appreciated. I even tried to install OpenSSL but it seems to be of no use or I am missing something here.

Answer 1

cryptography ships binary wheels on Windows so that users don't need to compile, but the version you are attempting to install (2.8) does not have a wheel that works for Python 3.9. If you can use a newer version then this will resolve the problem (although also be sure you upgrade to the latest pip .).