How do I install a C extension in Python?

How do I install a C extension in Python?

To install a C extension in Python, you typically need to write a setup.py file and use setuptools.

Can you give me a simple example of a setup.py file?

Sure! Here's a basic example:

from setuptools import setup, Extension

module = Extension('my_extension', sources=['my_extension.c'])

setup(name='MyExtension',
      version='1.0',
      description='A simple C extension',
      ext_modules=[module])

What do I need to compile the C code?

You'll need a C compiler installed, like GCC for Linux or MinGW for Windows, along with Python development headers.

How do I run the setup.py file?

You can run it using the command python setup.py build to compile the extension, and then python setup.py install to install it.