Compiling pure Python code

Another use for Cython is to compile Python code. For example, if we go back to the primes example, we can do the following:

$ cython pyprimes.py –embed
$ gcc -g -O2 pyprimes.c -o pyprimes `python-config --includes –libs`

Then, we can compare the three different versions of the same program: the Cython version using cdef for native types, the pure Python version running as a Python script, and finally, the Cython-compiled pure Python version, which results in an executable binary of Python code:

• First, the Cython version using native types:

  $ time ./primes
  real    0m0.050s
  user    0m0.035s
  sys     0m0.013s
  

• Next, the executable pure Python version:

  $ time ./pyprimes
  real    0m0.139s
  user    0m0.122s
  sys     0m0.013s
  

• And finally, the Python script version:

  philips-macbook:primes redbrain$ time python pyprimes.py
  real    0m0.184s
  user    0m0.165s
  sys     0m0.016s
  

The pure Python version runs the slowest, the compiled Python version runs a little bit faster, and finally...