Elide + Python

Experimental

Python support in Elide is experimental. Functionality may change between releases.

Elide can run Python scripts and applications using the Python 3.12 language standard, powered by GraalPy. No separate Python installation is required — the Python standard library is bundled with Elide.

Running Python

Elide detects .py files automatically:

bash
 elide run hello.py
python
import json, pathlib
print("Hello from Python!")
print(json.dumps({"works": True}))

The Python standard library is available out of the box — modules like json, os, sys, pathlib, and typing work without any installation.

Language Engine

Elide executes Python using GraalPy from Oracle.
LanguagePython
Standard3.12.x
MaturityAlpha
EngineGraalPy

Virtual Environments

Virtual environments are supported — set the VIRTUAL_ENV environment variable to include venv site-packages at runtime.

Known Limitations

Python support is experimental. The following limitations currently apply:

  • macOS — Native module isolation is not available on macOS
  • C extensions — Some C extension modules may not work (GraalPy limitation)
  • Cross-language imports — Importing Python modules from JavaScript or TypeScript is not yet available
  • GraalPy differences — While GraalPy targets CPython 3.12 compatibility, some edge cases may behave differently

Additional Resources

  • Elide + Web — Running JavaScript and TypeScript applications in Elide
  • JS & TS Tooling — JavaScript and TypeScript toolchain features