This post explores the __pycache__ folder in Python, explaining how it appears in complex projects and how it speeds up module importing by caching bytecode. It also discusses the benefits of storing the cache in a centralized folder instead of locally. Finally, it shows how to read and execute the bytecode from a .pyc file.
Table of contents
In Short: It Makes Importing Python Modules FasterHow Much Faster Is Loading Modules From Cache?What’s Inside a __pycache__ Folder?When Does Python Create Cache Folders?What Actions Invalidate the Cache?Is It Safe to Remove a Cache Folder?How to Recursively Remove All Cache Folders?How to Prevent Python From Creating Cache Folders?How to Store the Cache in a Centralized Folder?What’s Inside a Cached .pyc File?How to Read and Execute the Cached Bytecode?Can Bytecode Obfuscate Python Programs?How to Disassemble the Cached Bytecode?ConclusionSort: