#compsci #python Script runs -> the source code of the script is compiled to byte code -> the byte code is routed to a virtual machine. Python scripts are stored as **.py** files, while Python byte code compiled executables are stored as **.pyc** files. .pyc files are not necessarily "true binaries", but **frozen binaries** are. These files bundle together the byte code of Python programs, along with the PVM (Python Virtual Machine) and any Python support files your program needs, into a single package. They are several primary systems capable of generating these binaries: 1. **py2exe** (Windows) 2. **PyInstaller** (Windows + Unix-based) 3. **freeze** (the original)