I can confirm that the same Python C API is safe to be used in both languages, C and C++.
However, it is difficult to provide you with more detailed answer, unless you will ask more specific question. There are numerous caveats and issues you should be aware of. For example, your Python extensions are defined as C types struct, not as C++, so don't expect to have their constructor/destructor implicitly defined and called.
For example, taking the sample code from Defining New Types in the Python manual, it can be written in C++ way and you can even blend-in C++ types:
// noddy.cpp
namespace {
struct noddy_NoddyObject
{
PyObject_HEAD
// Type-specific fields go here.
std::shared_ptr<int> value; // WARNING
};
PyObject* Noddy_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
{
try {
Noddy *self = (Noddy *)type->tp_alloc(type, 0);
if (self) {
self->value = std::make_shared(7);
// or more complex operations that may throw
// or extract complex initialisation as Noddy_init function
return self;
}
}
catch (...) {
// do something, log, etc.
}
return 0;
}
PyTypeObject noddy_NoddyType =
{
PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
// ...
}
} // unnamed namespace
But, neither constructor nor destructor of the std::shared_ptr
will be called.
So, remember to define dealloc
function for your noddy_NoddyType
where you will reset the value
with nullptr
. Why even bother with having value defined as shared_ptr
, you may ask. It is useful if you use your Python extension in C++, with exceptions, to avoid type conversions and casts, to have more seamless integration inside definitions of your implementation, error handling based on exception may be easier then, etc.
And in spite of the fact that your objects of the noddy_NoddyType
are managed by machinery implemented in pure C, thanks to dealloc
function the value
will be released according to well-known RAII rules.
Here you can find interesting example of nearly seamless integration of Python C API with the C++ language: How To catch Python stdout in c++ code
extern "C" { }
block due to name mangling (which, of course, cannot export things C can't handle, like overloads), but I'm not aware of any other roadblocks. – Betz