What is compile() in Python?

The compile() method takes in an input code and returns a code object that can easily be executed.

Syntax

compile(*source, filename, mode, flags=0, dont_inherit=False, optimize=-1*)

Parameters

• source: The source can be an AST object or a normal/byte string.

• filename: The file from where we read the code.

• mode: There are three types of mode. For a single expression source, the mode is eval. If the code consists of a single interactive statement, the mode is single. The exec mode takes a block of a code that has statements, classes, and functions.

• flags (optional): The default for this is 0.

• dont_inherit (optional): The default for this is 0.

• optimize (optional): The optimization level of the compiler can be specified by this. Its default value is -1.

Use

If the Python code you have is in the form of a string or an AST object and you need to change it to a code object, use compile().

Code

In order to execute the result returned by compile(), there are two inbuilt functions that can be used:

1. exec()
2. eval()