transpilatron
Write Python. Get a native C binary. No C knowledge required.
uvx transpilatron your_code.py
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Python | C | Speedup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sieve of Eratosthenes (10M numbers) | 0.526s | 0.022s | 24x |
| Selection sort (10K elements) | 1.963s | 0.033s | 58x |
Verified on the same machine. Same output. Fully static binaries.
How it works
transpilatron uses an AI agent to convert your Python project into C, compiles it (using -O2 or -O3 flags), and hands you a fully static binary. No runtime, no interpreter, no dependencies.
- Reads your Python entry file and follows all imports
- Transpiles the full project to C
- Writes a Makefile and compiles with static linking
- Drops the binary in
out/
Requirements
| Tool | Why |
|---|---|
| uv | Run transpilatron instantly with uvx |
Note: You only need uv on your host machine. The AI agent automatically detects, installs, and configures all other development and verification dependencies (like C compilers, make, valgrind, and system headers) inside the build environment.
Install
# Run without installing
uvx transpilatron your_code.py
# Or install globally
uv tool install transpilatron
On first run, the tool installs its dependencies, and asks you to authenticate with poolside.
Usage
uvx transpilatron your_code.py
The binary lands at out/<your_code>. That's it.
What it handles
- Pure Python logic → idiomatic C
- HTTP (
requests,urllib3) → raw BSD sockets - JSON → cJSON
- Threading → pthreads
- File I/O → POSIX syscalls
- Multi-file projects → one binary
- Detects and fixes common Python bugs during transpilation
- Supports many major Python libraries with C extensions by simply using their C backends or alternatives
- The system attempts to translate pure Python libraries as well
Limitations
- Linux and macOS only
torch/tensorflow— not supported (aborts with a clear error)- Some dynamic Python patterns (metaclasses, heavy monkey-patching) may not translate cleanly
Examples
examples/
├── sieve.py # Prime number sieve — 24x speedup
└── sort.py # Selection sort — 58x speedup
Comparison
While tools like Nuitka and PyInstaller package the CPython interpreter (and its dynamic standard libraries) to guarantee compatibility, transpilatron completely strips the CPython runtime. By translating Python logic into pure, dependency-free C, it allows you to build single, fully static binaries that run in environments with zero external libraries.
| Tool | Approach | CPython Runtime Dependency? | Fully Static Binaries? | Output Size | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| transpilatron | Source-to-source C translation via LLM | No | Yes (trivial) | < 1MB | Any Python application (CLI tools, microservices, serverless, initramfs, scratch containers, embedded) |
| Nuitka | Translates Python to C calling CPython APIs | Yes | No (requires "shared libs galore" and dynamic loading) | ~30MB+ | 100% CPython compatibility for desktop/server applications |
| PyInstaller | Bundles Python interpreter + .pyc files into a zip |
Yes | No (unpacks dynamic libraries to /tmp at runtime) |
~30MB - 100MB+ | Distributing desktop apps where size and startup speed don't matter |
| Cython | Compiles Python/Cython to a C extension module | Yes | No (produces a .so file that must be imported inside Python) |
N/A (requires python host) | Speeding up hot paths inside an existing Python project |
| PyPy | Alternative JIT-compiled interpreter | Yes | No | N/A (it's a heavy runtime) | Long-running Python server applications needing JIT speedups |
Why uv?
uv is the fastest Python package manager on the planet. uvx lets you run any Python tool instantly without installing it. If you're not using uv yet, you should be.
transpilatron was originally created to compile standalone initramfs boot scripts for Noodlix, a Python-only operating system — but works for any Python application.
Outputs fully static binaries. Runs even in initramfs. No dynamic linker required.
1 maintainer
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