CPython

From Encoresoup - The Ultimate Guide to Free/Open Source Software

CPython is the default, most-widely used implementation of the Python programming language. It is written in C. In addition to CPython, there are two other production-quality Python implementations: Jython, written in Java, and IronPython, which is written for the Common Language Runtime, as well as several experimental implementations.^[1] The backronym Classic Python has been suggested as another meaning for the 'C'.

CPython is a bytecode interpreter. It has a foreign function interface with several languages including C, in which one must explicitly write bindings in a language other than Python.

Contents 1 Supported platforms 2 Previously supported platforms 3 External ports 4 Concurrency Issues 5 Notes 6 References

[edit] Supported platforms

Unix-like AIX operating system BSD Darwin FreeBSD HP-UX IRIX 5 and later Plan 9 from Bell Labs Mac OS X NetBSD Linux OpenBSD Solaris Tru64 Other Unixes

Desktop OSes AROS AtheOS BeOS Windows Windows NT OS/2 RISC OS

Special and embedded GP2X iPodLinux Nintendo DS Nintendo Gamecube Nokia 6682 and other Series60 phones Nokia 770 Internet Tablet Nokia N800 Nokia N810 Palm OS PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 (Linux) Psion QNX Sharp Zaurus Xbox/XBMC VxWorks

Mainframe and other OS/390 VMS z/OS

[edit] Previously supported platforms

PEP 11 lists platforms which are not supported in CPython by Python Software Foundation. These platforms can still be supported by external ports. See below.

• DOS (unsupported since 2.0)
• IRIX 4 (unsupported since 2.3)
• Mac OS 9 (unsupported since 2.4)
• MINIX (unsupported since 2.3)

[edit] External ports

These are ports not integrated to Python Software Foundation's official version of CPython, with links to its main development site. Ports often include additional modules for platform-specific functionalities, like graphics and sound API for PSP and SMS and camera API for S60.

• Amiga [2]
• AS/400 [3]
• DOS using DJGPP [4]
• PlayStation Portable [5]
• Symbian OS [6]
• Windows CE/Pocket PC [7]

[edit] Concurrency Issues

The main issue of using CPython on a multiprocessor computer is the presence of a Global Interpreter Lock on each CPython interpreter process, which effectively disables concurrent Python threads within one process^[1]. To be truly concurrent in multiprocessor environment, separate CPython interpreter processes have to be run, which makes establishing communication between them a difficult task. There is constant discussion whether to remove the GIL from CPython^[2].

[edit] Notes

1. ^  Martelli, Alex (2006). Python in a Nutshell, 2nd edition, O'Reilly, 5–7. ISBN 0-596-10046-9. 

[edit] References

1. ↑ Python/C API Reference Manual: Thread State and the Global Interpreter Lock
2. ↑ Python Library and Extension FAQ: Can't we get rid of the Global Interpreter Lock?