Python Bytes
Python Bytes
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Python Bytes is a weekly podcast hosted by Michael Kennedy and Brian Okken. The show is a short discussion on the headlines and noteworthy news in the Python, developer, and data science space.

#369 The Readability Episode

January 30, 2024 00:34:44 25.13 MB Downloads: 0
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Michael #1: Granian

  • via Andy Shapiro and Bill Crook
  • A Rust HTTP server for Python applications.
  • Granian design goals are:
    • Have a single, correct HTTP implementation, supporting versions 1, 2 (and eventually 3)
    • Provide a single package for several platforms
    • Avoid the usual Gunicorn + uvicorn + http-tools dependency composition on unix systems
    • Provide stable performance when compared to existing alternatives
  • Could use better logging
  • Originates from the Emmett framework.

Brian #2: pytest 8 is here

  • Improved diffs:
    • Very verbose -vv is a colored diff, instead of a big chunk of red.
    • Python code in error reports is now syntax-highlighted as Python.
    • The sections in the error reports are now better separated.
    • Diff for standard library container types are improved.
    • Added more comprehensive set assertion rewrites for comparisons other than equality ==, with the following operations now providing better failure messages: !=, <=, >=, <, and >.
  • Improvements to -r for xfailures and xpasses
    • Report tracebacks for xfailures when -rx is set.
    • Report captured output for xpasses when -rX is set.
    • For xpasses, add - in summary between test name and reason, to match how xfail is displayed.
    • This one was important to me. Massively helps when checking/debugging xfail/xpass outcomes in CI. Thanks to Fabian Sturm, Bruno Oliviera, and Ran Benita for help to get this release.
  • Lots of other improvements
  • See full changelog for all the juicy details. And then upgrade and try it out!
  • pip install -U pytest

Michael #3: Assorted Docker Goodies

  • OrbStack
    • Say goodbye to slow, clunky containers and VMs
    • OrbStack is the fast, light, and easy way to run Docker containers and Linux. Develop at lightspeed with our Docker Desktop alternative.
  • Podman
    • Podman is an open source container, pod, and container image management engine. Podman makes it easy to find, run, build, and share containers.
      • Manage containers (not just Podman.)
      • Podman Desktop allows you to list, view, and manage containers from multiple supported container engines* in a single unified view.
      • Gain easy access to a shell inside the container, logs, and basic controls.
      • Works on Podman, Docker, Lima, kind, Red Hat OpenShift, Red Hat OpenShift Developer Sandbox.
  • CasaOS
    • Your Personal Cloud OS.
    • Community-based open source software focused on delivering simple personal cloud experience around Docker ecosystem.
    • Also have the ZimaCube hardware (Personal cloud. Re-invented.)

Brian #4: New GitHub Copilot Research Finds 'Downward Pressure on Code Quality'

  • David Ramel
  • Regarding “…the quality and maintainability of AI-assisted code compared to what would have been written by a human.”
  • Q: "Is it more similar to the careful, refined contributions of a Senior Developer, or more akin to the disjointed work of a short-term contractor?"
  • A: "We find disconcerting trends for maintainability. Code churn -- the percentage of lines that are reverted or updated less than two weeks after being authored -- is projected to double in 2024 compared to its 2021, pre-AI baseline. We further find that the percentage of 'added code' and 'copy/pasted code' is increasing in proportion to 'updated,' 'deleted,' and 'moved 'code. In this regard, AI-generated code resembles an itinerant contributor, prone to violate the DRY-ness [don't repeat yourself] of the repos visited."

Extras

Brian:

Michael:

Joke: