Exploring our Python interpreter with Stephane Wirtel

Presentation on samedi at 11:50 matin to 12:20 après-midi in Room 1180.

During my last CPython sprint, I started to contribute to the CPython code, and I wanted to understand the beast.

In this case, there is only one solution, trace the code from the beginning. From the command line to the interpreter, we will take part to an adventure.

  • Overview of the structure of the Project and the directories.
  • From the Py_Main function, to the interpreter
  • the used technics for the Lexer, Parser and the generation of the AST and of course of the Byte Code.
  • we will see some byte codes with the dis module
  • How does VM works, it’s a stack machine.
  • the Interpreter and its main loop of the Virtual Machine.

The idea behind is just to show how CPython works for a new contributor to CPython

Stephane Wirtel Bio

Stéphane is Belgian software hacker, engaged and dad. Organiser of PythonFOSDEM, @ThePSF Fellow, EuroPython Society Member and Member of Association Francophone de Python and former OpenERP Core Dev (6y).

If you think distributed, asynchronous and others interesting subjects, he will be happy to discuss with you.