title: The Python Language Reference Manual
author:  Guido Van Rossum 
description: This is a printed edition of the official Python Language Reference Manual from the Python 2.5 distribution (updated November 2006). For each copy sold $1 will be donated to the Python Software Foundation.
zlib_text: **Cython**
  
   **Kurt W. Smith**
  
   **DEDICATION**
  
   _For Ellen, Zélie, Leo, and Hugh—my muses._
  
  >  _An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is
  > an inconvenience rightly considered._
  
  > >  _— GKC_
  
  >  _A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go
  > against it._
  
  > >  _— GKC_
  
   **Preface**
  
  >  _There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it._
  
  >  _Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you’re Dutch._
  
  > > — T. Peters _“The Zen of Python”_
  
  _Cython: A Guide for Python Programmers_ covers all you need to know about the
  eponymous creole programming language and Python-to-C compiler. If you have
  heard of Cython and want to find out more, or if you have been using Cython
  and want to go deeper, then this book is for you.
  
  Cython is not another experimental (and all too often minimally maintained)
  language x–to–language y compiler project. Neither is it limited to an
  interesting research project that never