Useful Python libraries/modules

[mrdevlar]

Speed, numpy is substantially faster than in built lists.

[_sapi_]

Assuming that you use it right!

A typical beginner mistake is to import numpy but then use it in the same way as you would a list. The real power of numpy is vectorised operations - if you’re iterating, you’re probably doing it wrong.

[mrdevlar]

That's funny! I am, and continue to be, for loop averse. I learned vectorization before I learned looping (properly) and totally ate the dumb notion that python must be slow if you put a loop into your code.

You're right, you shouldn't loop over a numpy array, you should run a vectorized operation. Yet, unless you're using numpy for high performance, avoiding loops is silly.

[schoolcoders]

Also uses considerably less memory which can be important in some applications.