How can I use Cython to speed up my Python code?

How can I use Cython to speed up my Python code?

Cython is a programming language that makes writing C extensions for Python as easy as Python itself. You can use it to compile Python code into C, which can significantly improve performance. Would you like a simple example?

Yes, please provide a basic example of using Cython.

Sure! First, install Cython using pip. Then, create a file named example.pyx with the following code:

def compute_sum(int n):
    cdef int i, total = 0
    for i in range(n):
        total += i
    return total

Compile it using a setup script, and you can call compute_sum from your Python code.

What do I need in the setup script to compile this?

You need a setup.py file like this:

from setuptools import setup
from Cython.Build import cythonize

setup(ext_modules=cythonize('example.pyx'))

Run python setup.py build_ext --inplace to compile it.

Are there any specific performance improvements I can expect?

Performance improvements can vary, but Cython can make your code run several times faster, especially in loops and numerical computations. It's great for optimizing bottlenecks!