72 lines
2.7 KiB
ReStructuredText
72 lines
2.7 KiB
ReStructuredText
.. _extending-index:
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##################################################
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Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter
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##################################################
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This document describes how to write modules in C or C++ to extend the Python
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interpreter with new modules. Those modules can not only define new functions
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but also new object types and their methods. The document also describes how
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to embed the Python interpreter in another application, for use as an extension
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language. Finally, it shows how to compile and link extension modules so that
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they can be loaded dynamically (at run time) into the interpreter, if the
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underlying operating system supports this feature.
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This document assumes basic knowledge about Python. For an informal
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introduction to the language, see :ref:`tutorial-index`. :ref:`reference-index`
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gives a more formal definition of the language. :ref:`library-index` documents
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the existing object types, functions and modules (both built-in and written in
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Python) that give the language its wide application range.
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For a detailed description of the whole Python/C API, see the separate
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:ref:`c-api-index`.
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Recommended third party tools
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=============================
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This guide only covers the basic tools for creating extensions provided
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as part of this version of CPython. Third party tools like Cython,
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``cffi``, SWIG and Numba offer both simpler and more sophisticated
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approaches to creating C and C++ extensions for Python.
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.. seealso::
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`Python Packaging User Guide: Binary Extensions <https://packaging.python.org/guides/packaging-binary-extensions/>`_
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The Python Packaging User Guide not only covers several available
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tools that simplify the creation of binary extensions, but also
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discusses the various reasons why creating an extension module may be
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desirable in the first place.
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Creating extensions without third party tools
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=============================================
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This section of the guide covers creating C and C++ extensions without
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assistance from third party tools. It is intended primarily for creators
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of those tools, rather than being a recommended way to create your own
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C extensions.
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.. toctree::
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:maxdepth: 2
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:numbered:
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extending.rst
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newtypes.rst
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building.rst
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windows.rst
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Embedding the CPython runtime in a larger application
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=====================================================
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Sometimes, rather than creating an extension that runs inside the Python
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interpreter as the main application, it is desirable to instead embed
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the CPython runtime inside a larger application. This section covers
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some of the details involved in doing that successfully.
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.. toctree::
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:maxdepth: 2
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:numbered:
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embedding.rst
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