# Extension et intégration de l'interpréteur Python

This document describes how to write modules in C or C++ to extend the Python interpreter with new modules. Those modules can do what Python code does -- define functions, object types and methods -- but also interact with native libraries or achieve better performance by avoiding the overhead of an interpreter. The document also describes how to embed the Python interpreter in another application, for use as an extension language. Finally, it shows how to compile and link extension modules so that they can be loaded dynamically (at run time) into the interpreter, if the underlying operating system supports this feature.

This document assumes basic knowledge about C and Python. For an informal introduction to Python, see Le tutoriel Python. La référence du langage Python gives a more formal definition of the language. La bibliothèque standard documents the existing object types, functions and modules (both built-in and written in Python) that give the language its wide application range.

Pour une description dans sa totalité de l'API Python/C, voir Python/C API reference manual.

To support extensions, Python's C API (Application Programmers Interface) defines a set of functions, macros and variables that provide access to most aspects of the Python run-time system. The Python API is incorporated in a C source file by including the header `"Python.h"`.

Note

The C extension interface is specific to CPython, and extension modules do not work on other Python implementations. In many cases, it is possible to avoid writing C extensions and preserve portability to other implementations. For example, if your use case is calling C library functions or system calls, you should consider using the `ctypes` module or the cffi library rather than writing custom C code. These modules let you write Python code to interface with C code and are more portable between implementations of Python than writing and compiling a C extension module.

## Les outils tiers recommandés

This document only covers the basic tools for creating extensions provided as part of this version of CPython. Some third party tools offer both simpler and more sophisticated approaches to creating C and C++ extensions for Python.

While this document is aimed at extension authors, it should also be helpful to the authors of such tools. For example, the tutorial module can serve as a simple test case for a build tool or sample expected output of a code generator.

## C API Tutorial

This tutorial describes how to write a simple module in C or C++, using the Python C API -- that is, using the basic tools provided as part of this version of CPython.

1. Your first C API extension module

## Guides for intermediate topics

Cette section du guide couvre la création d'extensions C et C++ sans l'utilisation d'outils tiers. Cette section est destinée aux créateurs de ces outils, plus que d'être une méthode recommandée pour créer votre propre extension C.

- Using the C API: Assorted topics

- Tutoriel : définir des types dans des extensions

- Définir les types d'extension : divers sujets

- Construire des extensions C et C++

- Construire des extensions C et C++ sur Windows

## Intégrer l'interpréteur CPython dans une plus grande application

Parfois, plutôt que de créer une extension qui s'exécute dans l'interpréteur Python comme application principale, il est préférable d'intégrer l'interpréteur Python dans une application plus large. Cette section donne quelques informations nécessaires au succès de cette opération.

- Intégrer Python dans une autre application