Python. But before we dive into the details, let’s take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come as a society.

Back in the olden days (like 2015), if you wanted to speed up your Python code, you had two options: either write it all in C or C++ and interface with Python using the C API, or use some fancy tool like SWIG to generate wrappers for a C/C++ library. But then Cython came along and changed everything!

With Cython, you can write your code in Python but have it compiled into C code that runs faster than if it was run through the Python interpreter. It’s kind of like having your cake and eating it too (or maybe more like having a slice of pizza and dipping it in chocolate sauce). And best of all, Cython is easy to use!

Now Boost.Python. This tool allows you to write wrappers for C/C++ code using Python syntax, but with the help of some fancy macros from Boost. It’s kind of like having a hybrid car that runs on both gasoline and electricity (but without all the environmental benefits).

So which one is better? Well, let’s do a little speed test! We took two functions: one written in pure Python, one using Cython, and another using Boost.Python. And guess what? The function written with Cython was 7 times faster than the one using Boost.Python (which is pretty impressive considering how much easier it is to use).

But wait! There’s more! According to David Malcolm, a developer at Continuum Analytics, “Basically, everything I found Cython emitting was a false positive and a bug in my checker tool [CPyChecker].” So not only does Cython make your code faster, but it also helps you catch bugs that other tools might miss.

If you want to speed up your Python code without sacrificing the beauty of Python syntax or having to learn a bunch of new stuff, then Cython is the way to go. And if you’re feeling adventurous and want to try something different, then Boost.Python might be worth exploring (but only after you’ve tried Cython first).