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https://github.com/numba/llvmlite

A lightweight LLVM python binding for writing JIT compilers
https://github.com/numba/llvmlite

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A lightweight LLVM python binding for writing JIT compilers

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README 

        
========

llvmlite

========



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A Lightweight LLVM Python Binding for Writing JIT Compilers

-----------------------------------------------------------



.. _llvmpy: https://github.com/llvmpy/llvmpy



llvmlite is a project originally tailored for Numba_'s needs, using the

following approach:



* A small C wrapper around the parts of the LLVM C++ API we need that are

  not already exposed by the LLVM C API.

* A ctypes Python wrapper around the C API.

* A pure Python implementation of the subset of the LLVM IR builder that we

  need for Numba.



Why llvmlite

============



The old llvmpy_  binding exposes a lot of LLVM APIs but the mapping of

C++-style memory management to Python is error prone. Numba_ and many JIT

compilers do not need a full LLVM API.  Only the IR builder, optimizer,

and JIT compiler APIs are necessary.



Key Benefits

============



* The IR builder is pure Python code and decoupled from LLVM's

  frequently-changing C++ APIs.

* Materializing a LLVM module calls LLVM's IR parser which provides

  better error messages than step-by-step IR building through the C++

  API (no more segfaults or process aborts).

* Most of llvmlite uses the LLVM C API which is small but very stable

  (low maintenance when changing LLVM version).

* The binding is not a Python C-extension, but a plain DLL accessed using

  ctypes (no need to wrestle with Python's compiler requirements and C++ 11

  compatibility).

* The Python binding layer has sane memory management.

* llvmlite is faster than llvmpy thanks to a much simpler architecture

  (the Numba_ test suite is twice faster than it was).



Compatibility

=============



llvmlite has been tested with Python 3.10 -- 3.13 and is likely to work with

greater versions.



As of version 0.41.0, llvmlite requires LLVM 14.x.x on all architectures



Historical compatibility table:



=================  ========================

llvmlite versions  compatible LLVM versions

=================  ========================

0.41.0 - ...       14.x.x

0.40.0 - 0.40.1    11.x.x and 14.x.x (12.x.x and 13.x.x untested but may work)

0.37.0 - 0.39.1    11.x.x

0.34.0 - 0.36.0    10.0.x (9.0.x for  ``aarch64`` only)

0.33.0             9.0.x

0.29.0 - 0.32.0    7.0.x, 7.1.x, 8.0.x

0.27.0 - 0.28.0    7.0.x

0.23.0 - 0.26.0    6.0.x

0.21.0 - 0.22.0    5.0.x

0.17.0 - 0.20.0    4.0.x

0.16.0 - 0.17.0    3.9.x

0.13.0 - 0.15.0    3.8.x

0.9.0 - 0.12.1     3.7.x

0.6.0 - 0.8.0      3.6.x

0.1.0 - 0.5.1      3.5.x

=================  ========================



Documentation

=============



You'll find the documentation at http://llvmlite.pydata.org



Pre-built binaries

==================



We recommend you use the binaries provided by the Numba_ team for

the Conda_ package manager.  You can find them in Numba's `anaconda.org

channel `_.  For example::



   $ conda install --channel=numba llvmlite



(or, simply, the official llvmlite package provided in the Anaconda_

distribution)



.. _Numba: http://numba.pydata.org/

.. _Conda: http://conda.pydata.org/

.. _Anaconda: http://docs.continuum.io/anaconda/index.html



Other build methods

===================



If you don't want to use our pre-built packages, you can compile

and install llvmlite yourself.  The documentation will teach you how:

http://llvmlite.pydata.org/en/latest/install/index.html