Python compilation ??

[Steve Holden]

Evan Klitzke wrote:
> On 7/2/07, Cathy Murphy <cathy at nachofoto.com> wrote:
>> Is python a compiler language or interpreted language. If it is interpreter
>> , then why do we have to compile it?
> 
> It's an interpreted language. It is compiled into bytecode (not
> machine code) the first time a script is run to speed up subsequent
> executions of a script.
> 
While the flavor of this answer is correct, in strict point of fact 
Python *doesn't* compile the scripts it executes, only the modules that 
are imported.

That's why you will occasionally see a very small Python program that 
just calls functions imported from much larger modules. This avoids 
spending the time that would otherwise have to be spent recompiling a 
large script at each execution.

regards
  Steve
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