so - shared object
gcc -shared -o main.dll main.c
gcc -O2 -Wall -shared -o main.dll main.c
Situation Is ctypes production-safe?
Simple, typed C APIs ✅ Yes
You control the C code ✅ Yes
You skip argtypes/restype ❌ No
Complex memory management involved
Capability | Why Python Can’t or Shouldn’t | What C Gives You |
---|---|---|
⚙️ Low-level memory control | Python has no manual memory control | C has malloc , free , pointers |
💥 Direct hardware access | Python is OS-abstracted | C can talk to ports, devices, BIOS |
🧠 Real-time systems | Python has garbage collection & latency | C gives deterministic control |
🚀 Microcontroller programming (embedded) | Python doesn’t run on bare metal (except MicroPython) | C is used for Arduino, ARM, etc. |
⚡ Ultra-fast execution (critical code paths) | Python is interpreted, slower | C compiles to blazing-fast native code |
🧩 Operating system kernels / drivers | Python is too high-level | C powers Linux, Windows drivers, etc. |
📦 Tiny executables (no interpreter needed) | Python requires a runtime | C makes pure native .exe / .elf |
🔐 True systems-level security | Python has too many layers | C can sandbox, manage syscalls, etc. |
🎮 Graphics/game engines (low latency) | Python is too slow for real-time rendering loops | C powers Unity backend, Unreal Engine core |
🌐 High-performance networking (raw sockets, packet injection) | Python too slow, limited | C can do packet crafting, sniffing, etc. |
Question | Python? | C? |
---|---|---|
Do I need low-level access? | ❌ | ✅ |
Do I need maximum speed? | ✅ | |
Am I working close to hardware or OS internals? | ❌ | ✅ |
Do I need rapid development and safety? | ✅ | ❌ |