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:

Joke: C will watch in silence

#399 C will watch you in silence

Python Bytes

#399 C will watch you in silence