integer_magic.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
# encoding: utf-8

"""Python numbers magic!

https://jakevdp.github.io/blog/2014/05/09/why-python-is-slow/

Adapted for python 2.7.

"""

import ctypes


class IntStruct(ctypes.Structure):

  """(Part of) Python's internal integer representation."""

  _fields_ = [
    ('ob_refcn', ctypes.c_long),
    ('ob_type', ctypes.c_void_p),
    ('ob_digit', ctypes.c_long),
  ]


def magic(a, b):
  """Puts `b` in `a`!"""
  a_int = IntStruct.from_address(id(a))
  a_int.ob_digit = b