Google and Python

[Bryan Olson]

Alex Martelli wrote:
> Bryan Olson wrote:
[...]
>> How does Google use Python? As their scripting-language
>> of choice. A fine choice, but just a tiny little piece.
>>
>> Maybe Alex will disagree with me. In my short time at
>> Google, I was uber-nobody.
> 
> YouTube (one of Google's most valuable properties) is essentially
> all-Python (except for open-source infrastructure components such as
> lighttpd).  Also, at Google I'm specifically "Uber Tech Lead, Production
> Systems": while I can't discuss details, my main responsibilities relate
> to various software projects that are part of our "deep infrastructure",
> and our general philosophy there is "Python where we can, C++ where we
> must". 

Good motto. So is most of Google's code base now in
Python? About what is the ratio of Python code to C++
code? Of course lines of code is kine of a bogus measure.
Of all those cycles Google executes, about what portion
are executed by a Python interpreter?

> Python is definitely not "just a tiny little piece" nor (by a
> long shot) used only for "scripting" tasks; 

Ah, sorry. I meant the choice of scripting language was
a tiny little piece of Google's method of operation.
"Scripting language" means languages such as Python,
Perl, and Ruby.


> if the mutant space-eating
> nanovirus should instantly stop the execution of all Python code, the
> powerful infrastructure that has been often described as "Google's
> secret weapon" would seize up.

And the essence of the Google way is to employ a lot of
smart programmers to build their own software to run on
Google's infrastructure. Choice of language is triva.

I think both Python Google are great. What I find
ludicrous is the idea that the bits one hears about how
Google builds its software make a case for how others
should build theirs. Google is kind of secretive, and
their ways are very much their own. Google's software
is much more Googley than Pythonic.


-- 
--Bryan