Create a Pyd File in Python

A Pyd file, also known as a Python Dynamic Module, is a compiled Python extension module with the .pyd extension. It is equivalent to a DLL (Dynamic Link Library) on Windows and a shared library on other platforms. Pyd files contain compiled Python code, allowing you to create high-performance extensions for your Python programs. In this article, we’ll explore the process of creating a Pyd file step by step.

How To Create A Pyd File In Python?

Below, is the step-by-step guide for How To Create A Pyd File In Python.

Step 1: Create a Virtual Environment

First, create the virtual environment using the below commands

python -m venv env 
.\env\Scripts\activate.ps1

Step 2: Write the Python Code

Let’s start by creating a simple Python script that we want to compile into a Pyd file. For this example, let’s create a file named example_module.py with the following content:

Python3

# example_module.py

def greet(name):
    return f"Hello, {name}!"

Step 3: Create a Setup File

To compile the Python script into a Pyd file, we need to create a setup file. Create a file named setup.py with the following content:

The setup.py file specifies the name of the module (example_module) and the source file (example_module.c). The source file will be generated in the next step.

Python3

# setup.py

from setuptools import setup, Extension

setup(
    name='example_module',
    ext_modules=[
        Extension(
            'example_module',
            sources=['example_module.c'],
        )
    ],
)

Step 4: Generate the C Source File

To generate the C source file from the Python script, open a terminal or command prompt and run the following command:

cythonize -i example_module.py

This command uses cython, a programming language that makes it easy to write C extensions for Python, to generate the C source file (example_module.c) and compile it.

Step 5: Build the Pyd File

Now, run the following command to build the Pyd file:

python setup.py build_ext --inplace

This command uses the setup.py script to build the extension module. The --inplace option ensures that the compiled Pyd file is placed in the same directory as the source files.

Step 6: Test the Pyd File

You can now test the created Pyd file by importing it in a Python script or interactive session. Create a file named test_example_module.py with the following content:

Python3

# test_example_module.py

import example_module

result = example_module.greet("World")
print(result)

Run the script using:

python test_example_module.py

If everything is set up correctly, you should see the output:

Output

Hello, World!

Video Demonstration

Congratulations! You have successfully created and tested a Pyd file in Python. This process can be extended to more complex modules, and the resulting Pyd files can be distributed and used like regular Python modules.