Python/C API Reference Manual

Release:3.0 Date:August 10, 2025

This manual documents the API used by C and C++ programmers who want to write extension modules or embed Python. It is a companion to Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter, which describes the general principles of extension writing but does not document the API functions in detail.

• Introduction
  • Include Files
  • Objects, Types and Reference Counts
  • Exceptions
  • Embedding Python
  • Debugging Builds
• The Very High Level Layer
• Reference Counting
• Exception Handling
  • Standard Exceptions
• Utilities
  • Operating System Utilities
  • System Functions
  • Process Control
  • Importing Modules
  • Data marshalling support
  • Parsing arguments and building values
  • String conversion and formatting
  • Reflection
• Abstract Objects Layer
  • Object Protocol
  • Number Protocol
  • Sequence Protocol
  • Mapping Protocol
  • Iterator Protocol
  • Buffer Protocol
• Concrete Objects Layer
  • Fundamental Objects
  • Numeric Objects
  • Sequence Objects
  • Mapping Objects
  • Other Objects
• Initialization, Finalization, and Threads
  • Thread State and the Global Interpreter Lock
  • Profiling and Tracing
  • Advanced Debugger Support
• Memory Management
  • Overview
  • Memory Interface
  • Examples
• Object Implementation Support
  • Allocating Objects on the Heap
  • Common Object Structures
  • Type Objects
  • Number Object Structures
  • Mapping Object Structures
  • Sequence Object Structures
  • Buffer Object Structures
  • Supporting Cyclic Garbage Collection