Virtual Machine (VM)

The Virtual Machine (VM) is the component of the Python interpreter that executes your Python code. When you write a Python program, the source code is compiled into bytecode, a low-level set of instructions that is more abstract than machine code. The VM reads this bytecode and interprets it, executing the instructions on the host machine.

The VM is essentially the engine that runs your Python programs. It abstracts the complexities of the underlying hardware, allowing you to focus on writing your code without worrying about platform-specific details.

The most commonly used Python VM is CPython.

Related Resources

Tutorial

Your Guide to the CPython Source Code

In this detailed Python tutorial, you'll explore the CPython source code. By following this step-by-step walkthrough, you'll take a deep dive into how the CPython compiler works and how your Python code gets executed.

advanced python

For additional information on related topics, take a look at the following resources:

• Memory Management in Python (Tutorial)
• The Python Standard REPL: Try Out Code and Ideas Quickly (Tutorial)
• How Python Manages Memory (Course)
• Getting the Most Out of the Python Standard REPL (Course)
• The Python Standard REPL: Try Out Code and Ideas Quickly (Quiz)