Python Developer News: Kenneth Reitz Tools, Growth & Trends
Overview of Latest Python Developments
This episode covers a roundup of tools, industry trends, and shifts in the programming landscape. From new utilities authored by Kenneth Reitz to the rise of Python in the data science sector, the hosts discuss how these changes impact professional developers.
Tools for the Modern Pythonista
• Homebrew Pythons: A convenient way to manage multiple Python versions (2.5 through 3.6) on macOS via Homebrew.
• Requests-Threads: A library built on requests that provides asynchronous capabilities using async/await or Twisted deferred objects.
• Background: A simple decorator-based utility for running tasks in the background, ideal for offloading heavy operations in CLI tools or web applications.
• Setup.py for Humans: An exemplary, best-practice setup.py template designed to help developers bootstrap new projects effectively.
Python Industry Trends & Community
• The Python Death Clock: A visual countdown to the official end-of-life for Python 2.7, encouraging migration to modern Python 3.
• Designing Functions: A critical look at the "Small Functions Considered Harmful" debate, cautioning against the dogmatic over-application of design patterns that can obscure code logic.
• Python 3 Features: Discussion of the y-python3 site, which provides random code snippets showcasing modern features like type annotations, keyword-only arguments, and cryptographic secrets.
• Inclusivity in Tech: The introduction of ENABs (Equally Attractive Non-Alcoholic Beverages) to ensure events are welcoming to all participants, regardless of their drinking habits.
The Global Growth of Python
"Python has a solid claim to being the fastest growing major programming language, period."
Based on data from Stack Overflow, Python is officially the most visited tag in high-income nations. Statistical modeling suggests this growth trend will continue to dominate through 2020, significantly outpacing languages like Go, Rust, and R in the data science and machine learning ecosystems.