It is the case for Ubuntu (and versions) that the gimp-python package is not a dependency anymore.
It is not automatically installed with Gimp 2.10 , the user has to add it. Why this differs from Gimp 2.8 where python support was included I do not know. Fortunately 'buntu users do not have to compile it, .deb package is there and if using a flatpak installation, already included.
However from a historical view, python support was not included in versions up to Gimp 2.4 Similar to now, the user had to add it.
Discussions of backward compatibility? You will have to ask the developers
It is not automatically installed with Gimp 2.10 , the user has to add it. Why this differs from Gimp 2.8 where python support was included I do not know. Fortunately 'buntu users do not have to compile it, .deb package is there and if using a flatpak installation, already included.
However from a historical view, python support was not included in versions up to Gimp 2.4 Similar to now, the user had to add it.
Discussions of backward compatibility? You will have to ask the developers