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= Python in Debian =

Software written in the Python programming language is executed by Python interpreter and is usually
compiled into platform independent bytecode files to increase performance. Thus software that written
in pure Python can be distributed as source code or as compiled bytecode. The latter is similar to
Java. Unfortunately, compiled bytecode files are incompatible from Python version to Python version.
Certain Debian system may have several Python versions available, so to avoid distributing several
packages for each version, Debian Policy makes sure that Python code is distributed in clear form
and compiled only during installation process on target system. Python is able to compile and write
bytecode *.pyc files alongside with *.py sources when *.py is executed, but insufficient permissions
may not allow it to write in corresponding directories, so to avoid drop-down in performance
compiling is done during installation.

The so-called C-Python interpreter is a software
package containing both the compiler and the bytecode interpreter used to execute Python files.
Within the Debian project the Python compiler/interpreter package is maintained by a developers team known as [[http://alioth.debian.org/projects/pkg-python|pkg-python]]. Python modules and extensions are maintained by individual developers and by a coordinated group called [[Teams/PythonModulesTeam|Debian Python Modules Team]]. There are also Python applications that are maintained by a separate [[Teams/PythonAppsPackagingTeam|Python Applications Packaging Team]].

== Supported Python Versions ==

Debian's latest release Lenny contains multiple Python versions: 2.5 (the default) and 2.4.

== Debian Python Policy for Python developers ==

Text of Debian Python Policy describes conventions for packaging and distributing Python code in Debian. The official text is located at http://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/python-policy/.

Feel free to ask any questions on debian-python@l.d.o mailing list and contribute to [[DebianPython/Tutorial]].

== See also ==

 * [[DebianPythonFAQ]]
 * [[DebianPythonTODO]]
 * DebianPython/ListOfPackages
#REDIRECT Python