Multiple instances of a python program

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 11:47:10 -0700, Rahul wrote:

> Hi.
> I am part of a group in my univ where we organize a programming
> contest. In this contest we have a UDP based server. The server
> simulates a game and each contestant is to develop a team of virtual
> players. Each team is composed of 75 similar bots...i.e. governed by
> the same logic. Thus the contestant submits a single copy of the client
> and we instantiate the same program 75 times at the same time.
> The problem is that while executables from C source files are small and
> we can make 75 processes but we dont know what to do with python.
> 
> If you have a python script and you want that 75 copies of the script
> be run simultaneously how will you do it? Is there anyway to do so
> without running 75 copies of the python interpreter simultaneously?

Have you actually tested the performance of 75 instances of Python
running? Do you know that it will be too slow for your server, or are you
trying to optimize before testing?

I wrote a short Python script, then launched 115 instances of Python
executing the script. There was no detectable slowdown of my system, which
is far from a high-end PC.

The details of the script aren't important. It may even be that what I
tested is not even close to the load your server needs to deal with. But
you may be surprised at just how easily even a low-end PC copes 75
instances of Python. Or perhaps not -- but the only way to tell is to try.

-- 
Steven.