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- Each implementation of the Python programming language uses a distinct interpreter. Being the fastest growing programming language in 2022, there is no scarcity of interpreters for Python. But because each of them caters to specific requirements, you need to first figure out which one suits you.
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Apr 30, 2024 · Whether you're aiming for performance, compatibility, or integration with specific platforms, understanding the available options is essential. In this guide, we'll explore some popular Python interpreters in 2024 and their unique features.
- What Is An Interpreter?
- Python Interpreter
- Python 2 Or Python 3? Which One to Choose?
By definition, an interpreter is a type of computer program that directly executes the instructions written in some programming or scripting language. By direct execution, we mean that it doesn’t require the instructions to be compiled into a machine language program first.
So with that out of the way, let’s move on to the brief summary of 6 of the most popular Python interpreters:
With the introduction of Python 3 in 2008, it has always been an important question to ask whether to stick with the older Python 2 or get on board with the latest Python 3. The answer might be easy for those new to learning Python; get started with the newer and better Python 3. However, the pick is not so simple for organizations or professionals...
- CPython. This is the default and most widely-used implementation of Python and is written in C. This is an interpreter and has a foreign function interface with languages like C.
- Jython. Jython is JPython’s successor. It is an implementation of Python that runs on the Java platform. Here’s a brief- First Release- January 2001. Stable Release- July 2017, version 2.7.1.
- IronPython. This is a Python implementation around the .NET Framework and Mono. Here’s a brief: Author- Jim Hugunin. First Release- September 2006. Stable Release- February, 2018; version 2.7.8.
- ActivePython. ActivePython is a Python distribution from ActiveState. It makes installation easy and cross-platform compatibility possible. Apart from the standard libraries, it has many different modules.
- CPython. CPython is the reference implementation of Python and the default on many systems. As the name suggests, CPython is written in C. As a result, it is possible to write extensions in C and therefore make the widley used C based library code available to Python.
- Pyston. Pyston is a fork of the CPython interpreter which implements performance optimizations. The project describes itself as a replacement of the standard CPython interpreter for large, real-world applications with a speedup potential up to 30%.
- PyPy. PyPy is a Just-in-time (JIT) compiler for Python which is written in RPython, a statically typed subset of Python. In contrast to the CPython interpreter, PyPy compiles to machine code which can be directly executed by the CPU.
- RustPython. As the name suggest, RustPython is a Python interpreter written in Rust. Although the Rust programming language is quite new, it has been gaining popularity and is a candidate to be a successor of C and C++.
- CPython¶ CPython is the reference implementation of Python, written in C. It compiles Python code to intermediate bytecode which is then interpreted by a virtual machine.
- PyPy¶ PyPy is a Python interpreter implemented in a restricted statically-typed subset of the Python language called RPython. The interpreter features a just-in-time compiler and supports multiple back-ends (C, CLI, JVM).
- Jython¶ Jython is a Python implementation that compiles Python code to Java bytecode which is then executed by the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Additionally, it is able to import and use any Java class like a Python module.
- IronPython¶ IronPython is an implementation of Python for the .NET framework. It can use both Python and .NET framework libraries, and can also expose Python code to other languages in the .NET framework.
1. CPython is one of the most used interpreters for the Python programming language. It is a default interpreter which means you don’t need to download anything for using CPython as anyone using Python has access to it. CPython is popular as it offers a foreign function interface with C as well as other programming languages.
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Sep 30, 2022 · A great example is when interpreters run Python code. While these two techniques are similar in what they are trying to do (get programs to run), how they go about it is extremely different. One key difference is in terms of performance.
