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Beginners assume Python is compiled because of .pyc files. The .pyc file is the compiled bytecode, which is then interpreted. So if you've run your Python code before and have the .pyc file handy, it will run faster the second time, as it doesn't have to re-compile the bytecode.
May 30, 2024 · Python generate theses .pyc files for a few reasons: It makes the execution Faster. It reduces memory usage. This can make it easier to distribute Python scripts without having to worry about platform-specific issues. Bytecode in the .pyc file is not human-readable, it can provide a degree of protection for the source code.
- How Python Works
- Inside The Python Virtual Machine
- Accessing and Understanding Python Bytecode
- Putting Bytecode to Use
- Further Reading
Python is often described as an interpreted language—one in which your source code is translated into native CPU instructions as the program runs—but this is only partially correct. Python, like many interpreted languages, actually compiles source code to a set of instructions for a virtual machine, and the Python interpreter is an implementation o...
CPython uses a stack-based virtual machine. That is, it's oriented entirely around stack data structures (where you can "push" an item onto the "top" of the structure, or "pop" an item off the "top"). CPython uses three types of stacks: 1. The call stack. This is the main structure of a running Python program. It has one item—a "frame"—for each cur...
If you want to play around with this, the dis module in the Python standard library is a huge help; the dis module provides a "disassembler" for Python bytecode, making it easy to get a human-readable version and look up the various bytecode instructions. The documentation for the dis modulegoes over its contents and provides a full list of bytecod...
Now that you've read this far, you might be thinking "OK, I guess that's cool, but what's the practical value of knowing this?" Setting aside curiosity for curiosity's sake, understanding Python bytecode is useful in a few ways. First, understanding Python's execution model helps you reason about your code. People like to joke about C being a kind ...
If you'd like to learn more about Python bytecode, the Python virtual machine, and how they work, I recommend these resources: 1. Inside the Python Virtual Machineby Obi Ike-Nwosu is a free online book that does a deep dive into the Python interpreter, explaining in detail how Python actually works. 2. A Python Interpreter Written in Pythonby Allis...
May 10, 2020 · For example, the bytecode resulting from this compilation step is cached on disk in .pyc and .pyo files so that executing the same Python file is faster the second time around. All of this is completely transparent to the programmer.
Mar 5, 2020 · When we execute a source code (a file with a .py extension), Python first compiles it into a bytecode. The bytecode is a low-level platform-independent representation of your source code, however, it is not the binary machine code and cannot be run by the target machine directly.
Jul 22, 2024 · Here, we will take a look at the concept of bytecode compilation, explaining what bytecode is, why Python uses it, and how it contributes to Python’s efficiency and portability. What is...
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The Python Compilation Process. The Python compilation process involves several steps, from source code to bytecode. Let's break down these steps: Source Code : The process starts with your Python source code, typically stored in .py files.
