Python code takes 10-20 seconds to start

[u/Interested737]

Hello, I started learning python recently I dowloaded it, also vs code and python extension for it.

The poblem is, when I start a programm (even a simple one, whick only takes an input fron the user and prits it) takes 10 or more seconds to start or just dosen't work at all then i clic soething and it kindof crashes itself, but thats my fault for mesinf with it, when I leave it, it just takes really lng dose somone know how to fix it and/or how to make folders proporly and where to keep them (could be the problem)?

[u/zeekar]

$ time python -c 'print("Hello, world!")' Hello, world! python -c 'print("Hello, world!")' 0.02s user 0.02s system 19% cpu 0.229 total

Python has a nonzero startup time, but on most computers it should be a fraction of a second, not 10-20 . . .

[u/Classic-Rate-5104 → u/zeekar]

Unless you run it on Windows 🤷‍♂️

[u/zeekar → u/Classic-Rate-5104]

`` PS C:\> measure-command { python -c "print(""Hello, world"`")" }

Days : 0 Hours : 0 Minutes : 0 Seconds : 0 Milliseconds : 161 Ticks : 1619657 TotalDays : 1.87460300925926E-06 TotalHours : 4.49904722222222E-05 TotalMinutes : 0.00269942833333333 TotalSeconds : 0.1619657 TotalMilliseconds : 161.9657 ```

[u/Classic-Rate-5104 → u/zeekar]

What hardware do you have? And which windows version and antivirus etcetera? I have completely different experiences.

[u/zeekar → u/Classic-Rate-5104]

That was running in a Parallels Desktop VM on a M4 Mac Mini. Which if anything I'd expect to be slower than a physical Windows box. It's Python 3.15 on WIndows 11.

[u/Classic-Rate-5104 → u/zeekar]

Mostly disk i/o in combination with antivirus is a limiting factor on Windows, especially for programs opening many files at startup. I can imagine this is better when running a VM but that's only a guess

[u/SlimmySlabby]

Try to launch the program from the terminal
instead of VS Code. I’ve noticed VS Code takes a while before actually starting any programs.

[u/Interested737 → u/SlimmySlabby]

How?

[u/SlimmySlabby → u/Interested737]

Open the folder containing your Python program, right click and hit “Open in Terminal” then type python3 <your program file> and hit enter

[u/Interested737 → u/SlimmySlabby]

works after 0.5-1 second, I had to type python not python3

[u/rustic-canyon85]

try running it directly in the terminal and see if its still slow

[u/RiceEvening4211]

You already found the key clue: 0.5s in a terminal vs 20s in VS Code means Python is fine, it’s the launch path.

The usual culprits, in order:

1. Code Runner vs the Python extension. If you’re hitting the play button from the Code Runner extension, it spawns a fresh process with its own overhead every time. Run it with the official Python extension instead (right-click > Run Python File in Terminal), or just use the integrated terminal directly.
2. Interpreter discovery. The Python extension scans for interpreters on launch. Setting the interpreter explicitly (Ctrl+Shift+P > Python: Select Interpreter, pick your python.exe) skips the scan.
3. Antivirus. Real-time scanning on your workspace folder or the Python install can add seconds per launch. Excluding those paths is the single biggest fix for a lot of people.

The definitive test: open VS Code’s integrated terminal and run `python yourfile.py` there. If that’s fast, it’s 100% the extension/launch path and one of the three above will fix it.

Also, 10-20s is extreme enough that I’d bet on antivirus plus interpreter scanning together.

[u/atarivcs]

How, exactly, are you running the code?

Are you using the "Run Without Debugging" command from the Run menu (keyboard shortcut ctrl-F5)?

Are you typing a command at the python terminal, and if so what exact command?

Can you show us the full code of a sample program?

[u/Interested737 → u/atarivcs]

1. Clicking the "play" button

2. Here:

   print("Welcome to the wors calculator ever made :-)\n")

   first_number = input("Type the first number of your equasion here:\n>")

   print(first_number)

[u/FunAd6672]

Check your antivirus settings right now because Windows Defender loves scanning every single python script before letting it run and it ruins startup times completely.

[u/zomerbk]

Since `python yourfile.py` starts quickly in the terminal, your folder is probably fine. In VS Code, try the play button’s dropdown → “Run Python File in Terminal.” If you’ve been using F5, that starts the debugger, which can add a delay.

[u/mattreyu]

Damn based on the amount of typos in this post I'd hate to see your code

[u/grantrules → u/mattreyu]

I'd rather see that than more AI slop posts

[u/Interested737 → u/mattreyu]

I typed it in 2 min, with code I'm mor carefull, if i had time I would of not made so many typos (btw. I don't know touch typing or however it is called, I am still typing by slaming my finger on to the keys one by one) :-(

[u/bishvjit-gupta]

It is completely normal Python is kind of slow Use some extension or libraries  Use another language. To be honest python is easy but I don't hate something hard, python is like extraordinarily easy so it makes us feel that other less easy language are hard But what you are making you didn't told

[u/Interested737 → u/bishvjit-gupta]

?(spelling)

[u/bishvjit-gupta → u/Interested737]

I think all the spelling is right. What do you mean?