What is "numba"

Numba is an optimizing compiler (just-in-time or import-time or statically) for Python, designed to enhance the running speed of selected bottleneck functions, particularly focusing on "array-oriented ( Numpy) and math-heavy" Python code.

According to its project page:

"Numba is an Open Source NumPy-aware optimizing compiler for Python sponsored by Continuum Analytics, Inc. It uses the LLVM compiler infrastructure to compile Python syntax to machine code.

It is aware of NumPy arrays as typed memory regions and so can speed-up code using NumPy arrays. Other, less well-typed code will be translated to Python C-API calls effectively removing the "interpreter" but not removing the dynamic indirection.

Numba is also not a tracing JIT. It compiles code before it gets run either using run-time type information or type information provided in a decorator.

Numba is a mechanism for producing machine code from Python syntax and typed data structures such as those that exist in NumPy."