CPython (source code)
= CPython
{c}
{wiki}
<CPython> is the principal implementation of <Python>, developed in the Python project's source repository and distributed through python.org. It parses source code and compiles it into <code objects> containing <bytecode>, which its execution machinery evaluates. The `dis` module makes the <bytecode> instructions visible, connecting source-level <functions> with their compiled representation.<Python 3.14 dis documentation>[Introduction, implementation-detail notice and Bytecode analysis]{ref}
For example, a <function> that returns `len(items)` needs to obtain the callable and argument, perform the call and return its result. A <bytecode> listing reveals those operations, together with version-specific supporting instructions. <CPython> can specialize instructions as a program runs. Exact instruction names and layouts are implementation details that can change between releases; the meaning of the <Python> source expression is specified at the language level.
Back to article page
