Python: Importing pyc files without py files takes more time?

Question

I have an application which uses extensively python 2.7.6 (CPython).

The issue that I see is the following: "If there are only pyc files, the loading time of the application is much more than if I have pyc and py files. It is behind with 2 minutes more than if it had py files"

Do you have any idea why this is happening?

Answer 1

You may get some clues by starting python as

/path/to/python/python2.7 -vv

which will provide the details of attempts to import:

$ python2.7 -vv
# installing zipimport hook
import zipimport # builtin
# installed zipimport hook
# trying /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site.so
# trying /usr/local/lib/python2.7/sitemodule.so
# trying /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site.py
# /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site.pyc matches /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site.py
import site # precompiled from /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site.pyc
# trying /usr/local/lib/python2.7/os.so
# trying /usr/local/lib/python2.7/osmodule.so
# trying /usr/local/lib/python2.7/os.py
# /usr/local/lib/python2.7/os.pyc matches /usr/local/lib/python2.7/os.py
import os # precompiled from /usr/local/lib/python2.7/os.pyc