#399 C will watch you in silence

Topics covered in this episode:


Why I Still Use Python Virtual Environments in Docker
Python Developer Survey Results
Anaconda Code add-in for Microsoft Excel
Disabling Scheduled Dependency Updates
Extras
Joke

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Michael #1: Why I Still Use Python Virtual Environments in Docker


by Hynek Schlawack
I was going to cover Production-ready Docker Containers with uv but decided to take this diversion instead.
Spend a lot of time thinking about the secondary effects of what you do.
venvs are well known and well documented. Let’s use them.


Brian #2: Python Developer Survey Results


“… official Python Developers Survey, conducted as a collaborative effort between the Python Software Foundation and JetBrains.”
Python w/ Rust rising, but still only 7%
““The drop in HTML/CSS/JS might show that data science is increasing its share of Python.” - Paul Everitt
37% contribute to open source. Awesome.
Favorite Resources: Podcasts

Lots of familiar faces there. Awesome.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have decided to move “Python Test” back to Test & Code


Usage

“Data analysis” down, but I think that’s because “data engineering” is added.
Data, Web dev, ML, devops, academic,
Testing is down 23%

Python Versions

Still some 2 out there
Most folks on 3.10-3.12

Install from: mostly python.org
Frameworks

web: Flask, Django, Requests, FastAPI …
testing: pytest, unittest, mock, doctest, tox, hypothesis, nose (2% might be the Python 2 people)

Data science

77% use pandas, 72% NumPy

OS: Windows still at 55%
Packaging:

venv up to 55%
I imaging uv will be on the list next year
requirements.txt 63%, pyproject.toml 32%

virtual env in containers? 47% say no


Michael #3: Anaconda Code add-in for Microsoft Excel


Run their Python-powered projects in Excel locally with the Anaconda Code add-in
Powered by PyScript, an Anaconda supported open source project that runs Python locally without install and setup
Features

Cells Run Independently
Range to Multiple Types
init.py file is static and cannot be edited, with Anaconda Code, users have the ability to access and edit imports and definitions, allowing you to write top-level functions and classes and reuse them wherever you need.
A Customizable Environment



Brian #4: Disabling Scheduled Dependency Updates


David Lord
Interesting discussion of as they happen or batching of upsates to dependencies
dependencies come in

requirements files
GH Actions in CI workflows
pre-commit hooks

David was seeing 60 PRs per month when set up on monthly updates (3 ecosystems * 20 projects)
new tool for updating GH actions: gha-update, allows for local updating of GH dependencies
New process

Run pip-compile, gha-update, and pre-commit locally.
Update a project’s dependencies when actively working on the project, not just whenever a dependency updates.
Note that this works fine for dev dependencies, less so for security updates from run time dependencies. But for libraries, runtime dependencies are usually not pinned.



Extras

Brian:


Test & Code coming back this week


Michael:


Code in a Castle event
Python Bytes badge spotting
Guido’s post removed for moderation


Joke: C will watch in silence