uitka

Nuitka is an ahead-of-time compiler for Python that translates Python programs into C/C++ source code and then compiles that code to native executables or extension modules. By compiling to C/C++, it aims to improve performance and distribution while preserving the semantics and behavior of the original Python code. Nuitka targets CPython and produces binaries that include the Python runtime.

The compiler performs static analysis and generates optimized C/C++ code from Python sources. The produced artifacts can be standalone executables or importable modules that can be used from existing Python code. Compilation relies on a system C/C++ compiler such as GCC, Clang, or MSVC and can produce cross-platform builds for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It can also bundle the Python runtime and packages into a single package for distribution.

Nuitka supports most standard Python features and a wide range of third-party packages, but compatibility can vary with complex or exotic code patterns and some C-extension modules. Performance gains are common for CPU-bound code, though results depend on the workload and how well the code maps to compiled form. The tool provides options for optimization, data file handling, and packaging, and it can emit extension modules or standalone executables.

The project is free and open-source and is maintained by a community of contributors. It is often compared with other packaging and distribution tools such as PyInstaller, PyOxidizer, and Cython, and is used to create distributable binaries for Python applications.