# Python Programming/Cython

Cython (not to be confused with CPython) is a compiler of Python-like
source code to the C language, from which it is compiled by a C compiler
to binary executable. The objective is a significant speedup compared to
interpreting the Python code in CPython, the standard interpreter.
Cython is usually used to create extension modules for Python. The
source code language compilable by Cython is a near superset of Python.

You can install Cython using *pip install Cython*. However, in order for
Cython to work, you will need a working C compiler. On Linux, you
usually have one; on Windows, you can install and use Microsoft Visual
C++ compiler or MinGW.

Beyond the normal Python, Cython-compilable Python source can contain
C-like declarations of variable types, leading to speedups of the
compiled code.

Cython-compilable Python source code files conventionally use extension
pyx.

The compiled extension module still needs CPython (the normal Python
interpreter) to run, and can call other Python modules, including pure
Python modules. This is because, where required, Cython compiles to C
code that uses the CPython API to achieve general Python-like behavior.

## External links

-   Official website, cython.org
-   Basic
    Tutorial,
    docs.cython.org
-   Cython, pypi.org
-   cython, github.com
-   Cython, en.wikipedia.org
-   Python Interpreters Benchmarks,
    pybenchmarks.org

