Static typing [was Re: Python and the need for speed]

[Paul Rubin]

Steve D'Aprano <steve+python at pearwood.info> writes:
> On the other hand, there's Cython. Cython claims *not* to be a JIT compiler,

One of the uses of "JIT compiler" these days is what's sometimes called
a tracing JIT, like PyPy or LuaJIT or the Javascript flavor-of-the-week.
That means it interprets the program while collecting execution traces
to figure out the actual types the program uses at runtime, then
generates machine code for those specific code paths, with some guards
in case an unexpectedly typed value shows up.