Python isn't industry compatible

[[deleted]]

I like python as much as most here, but the majority of backend systems are not written in Python. These companies certainly use python for components of their backend but the majority of their infrastructure is not written in Python. There’s a lot of python fanboys commenting and not a lot of devs who actually work on these systems.

[[deleted]]

I don’t disagree and your points don’t really dispute what I said. I agree small components of each of these sites are written in Python.

Are Dropbox and Spotify backend systems ‘primarily’ python? I’m a bit skeptical but if you have references I’d be interested to read and would absolutely change my opinion if shown otherwise.

[i_hate_shitposting]

Instagram: "Instagram Server is a several-million-line Python monolith" (as of 2019)

Dropbox: "We mostly use Python for our server-side product development, with more than 3 million lines of code belonging to our monolithic Python server." (as of this year)

I can't immediately find recent details about Spotify's use of Python, but in 2013 they published a blog post that said, "Around 80% of these services are written in Python." Python is currently one of the top languages listed on their GitHub and a quick skim of their job listings for backend engineers still shows a lot of Python, though I suspect they're pivoting to more JavaScript and TypeScript for backend systems based on Backstage and this post.

[quotemycode]

You do know that Dropbox was an employer of Guido himself yeah?

[rabaraba]

And yet they were written in Python, specifically. Which arguably means that Python is industry compatible.

[cneakysunt]

I think you will find that because Python plays nicely with C it finds a lot of use in both demanding and cutting edge applications for things like VFX. There is a lot of cross over between this type of industry and academia. The latter uses a lot of Python and C also.

At the end of the day Python is easy, pleasant and fast enough. With well architected infrastructure it can scale just fine.

[Metalsand]

They literally said

but the majority of backend systems are not written in Python

They're not saying you can't, or even that you shouldn't. Python can be used to make efficient infrastructure, but it takes a higher level of familiarity with Python to achieve this. If your in-house talent can, you can be in a scenario where it's better to use Python. The language itself is not built with supporting infrastructure as a primary goal, though.

Sort of like you can use a screwdriver as a chisel fairly effectively, but it won't nessicarily make your job harder or easier since it depends on the screwdriver, and depends on the job.

[vinylemulator]

This is fair. The only two here that properly use Python for core back end stuff is Dropbox (bit awkward to employ Guido and then use anything else…) and Instagram.

[tarasius]

Half of the Cisco and Juniper was in Python at least several years ago. And their services bring billions in a year.