How to Solve the Problem of Large Python exe Files?
Learn how to reduce large Python exe file sizes with PyInstaller optimization and Nuitka packaging techniques for efficient deployment.
Recently, a friend asked me how to deal with the issue of Python exe files being too large after packaging.
Why are Python-packaged exe files so large?
I’m guessing you’re using PyInstaller to package your exe files. PyInstaller is known for bundling everything together, including all dependencies. For instance, even if your program only uses a tiny feature from pandas, like read_data, PyInstaller will include the entire panda’s library, resulting in an extremely large exe file.
Additionally, PyInstaller packages the Python interpreter itself to allow the exe to run on systems without Python installed. However, the Python interpreter is quite large, typically containing many standard libraries and taking up 20-30 MB. This is an unnecessary burden for a standalone exe file.
How can this problem be solved?