# Python Runtime Libraries

> The eXtremeDB Python Wrapper is a Python extension module. It consists of two parts:

> > 1. The Python interface module `exdb.py` which is written in Python and provides class definitions and interface methods for the extension module

> > 2. The eXtremeDB Python Wrapper "core" module which is written in C and provides interfaces to the eXtremeDB database system. It has dependencies on the particular set of eXtremeDB runtime options.

> To start working with the eXtremeDB Python Wrapper the Python interpreter needs to be started with the `PYTHONPATH` environment variable correctly defined. By default, the eXtremeDB Python Wrapper will be installed in the eXtremeDB SDK directory `target/bin/python` (not in the Python system-wide packages directory).

> ## Windows

> The Python API support for Windows platforms makes use of the official Python executables that were built with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008. Therefore the Visual Studio 2008 C runtime (CRT) is required to run the Python interpreter. (Normally the Visual Studio 2008 CRT is installed when the Python package is installed. However, if it is missing from the runtime environment, the redistributable CRT is available for download from the Microsoft website.)

> Please use the following link to view instructions for installing Python on your Windows system.

> The debug version of the eXtremeDB runtime makes use of the debug C runtime libraries. To load the debug libraries, simply specify `is_debug=true` on the call to method `exdb.init_runtime()`. If the Visual Studio 2008 debug libraries are not installed in the runtime environment, attempts to run Python applications with the debug eXtremeDB runtime libraries causes "missing DLLs" errors. It is not normally necessary to run Python applications in debug mode. However if that is a requirement there are two options (note that Microsoft does not officially support deploying debug runtimes outside of dev/test environments):

> > 1. Install a complete Visual Studio 2008 in the runtime environment

> > 2. Install just the debug CRT for 2008 along with the manifest file.

> If the second option is chosen, an archive file with the necessary DLLs is available from McObject support.

> ## Unix-Linux

> If you are installing a 32 bit version of python on a 64bit linux system you will likely need to rebuild the python libraries. Please use the following link to view instructions for installing Python on your system.