CPython : A Complete Guide to CPython's Architecture and Performance / by Chien-Lung Kao.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kao, Chien-Lung.

Series:

Professional and Applied Computing Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Python (Computer program language).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (231 pages)

Edition:

1st ed. 2025.

Place of Publication:

Berkeley, CA : Apress : Imprint: Apress, 2025.

Summary:

Deep Dive CPython explores the internal mechanics of CPython, the widely used Python interpreter written in C. Starting with a practical guide on downloading and compiling the CPython source, this book is perfect for developers eager to understand Python’s behaviour at a fundamental level. The book takes readers from basic concepts to complex details with a systematic breakdown of core components. It covers everything from CPython’s data structures like PyObject and PyTypeObject to object lifecycle management, giving insight into memory allocation and object reference counting. Each chapter illustrates CPython's architecture, such as Python's "everything is an object" philosophy, list handling, string manipulation, and dictionary operations. Readers will explore Python’s REPL modifications, string internals, and custom type creation with practical examples, like crafting a "backflipping" PyKitty_Type. Detailed sections on Python’s virtual machine operations, bytecode generation, and exception handling enrich readers’ understanding of how Python code is parsed, compiled, and executed. This book is a thorough guide for readers who want to go beyond basic Python use and understand how it works internally. Covering complex concepts like generators, iterators, descriptors, and metaclasses, this book equips readers with a thorough grasp of Python's performance optimization and design complexities. What you will learn: How to download, compile, and modify CPython's source code Gain insight into fundamental structures like PyObject and PyTypeObject, Understand Python's detailed handling of lists, strings, dictionaries, and the REPL environment. What are bytecode generation, custom types, and the inner workings of Python’s virtual machine. Who this book is for: Python programmers aiming to gain a deeper understanding of Python’s internals and move beyond standard usage, as well as software professionals interested in CPython’s C-based implementation and core architecture. .

Contents:

Chapter 1: Reading the CPython Source Code

Chapter 2: Overview of the CPython Project Structure

Chapter 3: Everything Is an Object – Part 1

Chapter 4: How Objects Are Created in CPython

Chapter 5: Everything is an Object (Part 2)

Chapter 6: Defining a Custom Built-in Type

Chapter 7: What Happens During Module Import

Chapter 8: The Internal Representation of Integers

Chapter 9: Floating-Point Numbers in CPython

Chapter 10: Inside the String Object – Part 1

Chapter 11: Inside the String Object – Part 2

Chapter 12: What Happens When Python Starts

Chapter 13: From Source to Bytecode - How .py Becomes .pyc

Chapter 14: The List Object and Its Internal Management

Chapter 15: The Dictionary Object – Part 1

Chapter 16: The Dictionary Object – Part 2

Chapter 17: The Tuple Object and Its Immutability

Chapter 18: Inside the Python VM – Code Objects

Chapter 19: Inside the Python VM – Function Objects

Chapter 20: Inside the Python VM – Frame Objects

Chapter 21: Inside the Python VM – Namespaces and Scopes

Chapter 22: Inside the Python VM – Cells and Closures

Chapter 23: Classes and Where They Come From

Chapter 24: Class Inheritance in CPython

Chapter 25: Method Resolution Order and C3 Linearization

Chapter 26: The Role of super() in Multiple Inheritance

Chapter 27: The Generator Object and the yield Statement

Chapter 28: How Iterators Work Internally

Chapter 29: Understanding Descriptors in Python

Chapter 30: Exception Handling Internals in CPython.

ISBN:

9798868817694

OCLC:

1553059317