C extensions in Python are a powerful way to enhance the performance of Python applications by integrating C code. Python, being an interpreted language, can sometimes be slower for computationally intensive tasks. By using C extensions, developers can bypass Python’s Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) and leverage the speed of C for high-intensity computations, low-level system interactions, and frequent operations. This integration allows for efficient data processing and can significantly reduce execution time for critical sections of code. Overall, C extensions provide a bridge between Python’s ease of use and C’s performance capabilities, making them a valuable tool for developers.