How would a real Python user like to exchange data with a Windows application?

[cpede]

I would like to hear how a real Python/JupyterLab developer would solve the problem of exchanging data to and from a c++ Windows application. Se my other post: https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/embedding-jupyterlite-in-a-windows-application/25186?u=cpede
I want to be able to read data from my Windows application, then do different post-processing in Python/JupyterLab, and the optionally return some data back to my Windows application.
What would be the preferred way?
Thanks cpede

[chbrandt]

I don’t really know the limitations or capabilities in a Windows system, but in general (afaik) there three ways of doing it (ie, exchange data between Python and C or C++):

• through a message broker/queue system

  • ZeroMQ seems to be the common choice.
    • Eg: Share data between C and Python with this messaging library | Opensource.com

• read/write to a shared memory space or buffer.

  • See CPython’s multiprocessing: multiprocessing.shared_memory — Shared memory for direct access across processes — Python 3.12.3 documentation.
    • Eg: <Stuff about="code" />: Shared Memory C & Python IPC
  • See CPython’s struct: struct — Interpret bytes as packed binary data — Python 3.12.3 documentation

• send/receive data through a socket

  • See Google’s protobuf: https://protobuf.dev/
    • Eg: Data Exchange Between Python and C++ via protobuf | Tamas Gal

Also, the following pages may help you:

• 1. Extending Python with C or C++ — Python 3.12.3 documentation
• IntegratingPythonWithOtherLanguages - Python Wiki
• Cross-Language Binary Data Transfer: Writing in C++ and Reading in Python - DEV Community