Sometimes Python just isn't fast enough. Or you have existing code in a C++ library. cppimport combines the process of compiling and importing an extension in Python so that you can type modulename = cppimport.imp("modulename") and not have to worry about multiple steps.

cppimport looks for a C or C++ source file that matches the requested module. If such a file exists, the file is first run through the Mako templating system. The compilation options produced by the Mako pass are then used to compile the file as a Python extension. The extension (shared library) that is produced is placed in the same folder as the C++ source file. Then, the extension is loaded.

Most cppimport users combine it with pybind11, but you can use a range of methods to create your Python extensions. Raw C extensions, Boost.Python, SWIG all work.