1 .. _extending-index:

     2 

     3 ##################################################

     4   Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter

     5 ##################################################

     6 

     7 :Release: |version|

     8 :Date: |today|

     9 

    10 This document describes how to write modules in C or C++ to extend the Python

    11 interpreter with new modules.  Those modules can define new functions but also

    12 new object types and their methods.  The document also describes how to embed

    13 the Python interpreter in another application, for use as an extension language.

    14 Finally, it shows how to compile and link extension modules so that they can be

    15 loaded dynamically (at run time) into the interpreter, if the underlying

    16 operating system supports this feature.

    17 

    18 This document assumes basic knowledge about Python.  For an informal

    19 introduction to the language, see :ref:`tutorial-index`.  :ref:`reference-index`

    20 gives a more formal definition of the language.  :ref:`library-index` documents

    21 the existing object types, functions and modules (both built-in and written in

    22 Python) that give the language its wide application range.

    23 

    24 For a detailed description of the whole Python/C API, see the separate

    25 :ref:`c-api-index`.

    26 

    27 .. toctree::

    28    :maxdepth: 2

    29 

    30    extending.rst

    31    newtypes.rst

    32    building.rst

    33    windows.rst

    34    embedding.rst