当我们编写Python代码时，我们得到的是一个包含Python代码的以.py为扩展名的文本文件。要运行代码，就需要Python解释器去执行.py文件。
由于整个Python语言从规范到解释器都是开源的，所以理论上，只要水平够高，任何人都可以编写Python解释器来执行Python代码(当然难度很大)。事实上，确实存在多种Python解释器。
CPython
当我们从Python官方网站下载并安装好Python 2.7后，我们就直接获得了一个官方版本的解释器：CPython。这个解释器是用C语言开发的，所以叫CPython。在命令行下运行python就是启动CPython解释器。
CPython是使用最广的Python解释器。教程的所有代码也都在CPython下执行。
IPython
IPython是基于CPython之上的一个交互式解释器，也就是说，IPython只是在交互方式上有所增强，但是执行Python代码的功能和CPython是完全一样的。好比很多国产浏览器虽然外观不同，但内核其实都是调用了IE。
CPython用>>>作为提示符，而IPython用In [序号]:作为提示符。
PyPy
PyPy是另一个Python解释器，它的目标是执行速度。PyPy采用JIT技术，对Python代码进行动态编译(注意不是解释)，所以可以显著提高Python代码的执行速度。
绝大部分Python代码都可以在PyPy下运行，但是PyPy和CPython有一些是不同的，这就导致相同的Python代码在两种解释器下执行可能会有不同的结果。如果你的代码要放到PyPy下执行，就需要了解PyPy和CPython的不同点。
Jython
Jython是运行在Java平台上的Python解释器，可以直接把Python代码编译成Java字节码执行。
IronPython
IronPython和Jython类似，只不过IronPython是运行在微软.Net平台上的Python解释器，可以直接把Python代码编译成.Net的字节码。
小结
Python的解释器很多，但使用最广泛的还是CPython。如果要和Java或.Net平台交互，最好的办法不是用Jython或IronPython，而是通过网络调用来交互，确保各程序之间的独立性。
Alternate Implementations
Though there is one Python implementation which is by far the most popular,
there are some alternate implementations which are of particular interest to
different audiences.
Known implementations include:
CPython
This is the original and most-maintained implementation of Python, written
in C. New language features generally appear here first.
Jython
Python implemented in Java. This implementation can be used as a scripting
language for Java applications, or can be used to create applications using the
Java class libraries. It is also often used to create tests for Java libraries.
More information can be found at the Jython website.
Python for .NET
This implementation actually uses the CPython implementation, but is a
managed .NET application and makes .NET libraries available. It was created by
含蓄的钢笔 Lloyd. For more information, see the Python for .NET home page.
IronPython
An alternate Python for .NET. Unlike Python.NET, this is a complete Python
implementation that generates IL, and compiles Python code directly to .NET
assemblies. It was created by Jim Hugunin, the original creator of Jython. For
more information, see the IronPython website.
PyPy
An implementation of Python written completely in Python. It supports
several advanced features not found in other implementations like stackless
support and a Just in Time compiler. One of the goals of the project is to
encourage experimentation with the language itself by making it easier to modify
the interpreter (since it is written in Python). Additional information is
available on the PyPy project’s home
page.
Each of these implementations varies in some way from the language as
documented in this manual, or introduces specific information 典雅的跳跳糖 what’s
covered in the standard Python documentation. Please refer to the
implementation-specific documentation to determine what else you need to know
about the specific implementation you’re using.