The most widely used Python to C compiler
APACHE-2.0 License
Cython is a Python compiler that makes writing C extensions for Python as easy as Python itself. Cython is based on Pyrex, but supports more cutting edge functionality and optimizations.
Cython translates Python code to C/C++ code, but additionally supports calling C functions and declaring C types on variables and class attributes. This allows the compiler to generate very efficient C code from Cython code.
This makes Cython the ideal language for wrapping external C libraries, and for fast C modules that speed up the execution of Python code.
Cython has about 30 million downloads <https://pypistats.org/packages/cython>
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per month on PyPI. You can support the Cython project via
Github Sponsors <https://github.com/users/scoder/sponsorship>
_ or
Tidelift <https://tidelift.com/subscription/pkg/pypi-cython>
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If you already have a C compiler, just run following command::
pip install Cython
otherwise, see the installation page <https://docs.cython.org/en/latest/src/quickstart/install.html>
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The original Pyrex program was licensed "free of restrictions" (see below). Cython itself is licensed under the permissive Apache License.
See LICENSE.txt <https://github.com/cython/cython/blob/master/LICENSE.txt>
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Want to contribute to the Cython project?
Here is some help to get you started <https://github.com/cython/cython/blob/master/docs/CONTRIBUTING.rst>
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Started as a project in the early 2000s, Cython has outlived
most other attempts <https://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonImplementations#Compilers>
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at producing static compilers for the Python language.
Similar projects that have a relevance today include:
PyPy <https://www.pypy.org/>
_, a Python implementation with a JIT compiler.
Numba <http://numba.pydata.org/>
_, a Python extension that features a
JIT compiler for a subset of the language, based on the LLVM compiler
infrastructure (probably best known for its clang
C compiler).
It mostly targets numerical code that uses NumPy.
Pythran <https://pythran.readthedocs.io/>
, a static Python-to-C++
extension compiler for a subset of the language, mostly targeted
at numerical computation. Pythran can be (and is probably best) used
as an additional
backend for NumPy code <https://cython.readthedocs.io/en/latest/src/userguide/numpy_pythran.html>
in Cython.
mypyc <https://mypyc.readthedocs.io/>
, a static Python-to-C extension
compiler, based on the mypy <http://www.mypy-lang.org/>
static Python
analyser. Like Cython's
pure Python mode <https://cython.readthedocs.io/en/latest/src/tutorial/pure.html>
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mypyc can make use of PEP-484 type annotations to optimise code for static types.
Nuitka <https://nuitka.net/>
_, a static Python-to-C extension compiler.
cython_freeze <https://github.com/cython/cython/blob/master/bin/cython_freeze>
_In comparison to the above, Cython provides
Note that Cython used to ship the full version control repository in its source distribution, but no longer does so due to space constraints. To get the full source history from a downloaded source archive, make sure you have git installed, then step into the base directory of the Cython source distribution and type::
make repo
This is a development version of Pyrex, a language for writing Python extension modules.
For more info, take a look at:
Comments, suggestions, bug reports, etc. are most welcome!
Copyright stuff: Pyrex is free of restrictions. You may use, redistribute, modify and distribute modified versions.
The latest version of Pyrex can be found here <https://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/~greg/python/Pyrex/>
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| Greg Ewing, Computer Science Dept | University of Canterbury | Christchurch, New Zealand
A citizen of NewZealandCorp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of USA Inc.