Python News Roundup: October 2024 :

Python News Roundup: October 2024
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October is always an important month for Python, as this is when a new major version is released. Python 3.13 is the new version this year, and it brings several new features that lay the groundwork for other changes in the future. As one version of Python comes to life, another is put to rest. Python 3.8 is already five years old, which means that this version won’t be supported any longer.

There are also exciting developments happening in the wider Python community. In this newsletter, you can read about Polars’ improved support for plotting, as well as how Django developers gathered for the annual DjangoCon US conference.

Time to jump in and read about what’s happening in the world of Python!

Python 3.13 Release Slightly Delayed

The release of Python 3.13, the newest version of Python, was originally scheduled for October 1, 2024. However, a few days before that date, release manager Thomas Wouters decided to postpone the release until October 7, 2024:

I’m a little concerned with the impact of the incremental GC change in 3.13, which recently showed up. It’s not clear that the incremental GC provides significant improvements (although the smaller pauses are probably desirable), it clearly has slightly more overhead in common cases, and we’re still discovering pathological cases.

I don’t think we should release 3.13.0 with the incremental GC. (Source)

The incremental garbage collector was a small improvement slated for Python 3.13. In many cases, the new garbage collection algorithm improves performance. Unfortunately, it was found to slow down Python significantly in some rare cases.

As a result, the core developers decided to revert the implementation and use the traditional garbage collector in Python 3.13. At the same time, the new implementation is being scrutinized and currently the goal is to include incremental garbage collection in Python 3.14.

Delaying a major Python release is never an easy choice. However, erring on the side of caution is a good approach, and it’s great to see that the Python 3.13 release is being handled responsibly.

Python 3.13 Highlights

As always, a new Python release brings many improvements and new features. You can explore these in-depth in Python 3.13: Cool New Features for You to Try. In particular, the new release includes:

  • A brand new interactive interpreter (REPL)
  • Colored tracebacks and improved error messages
  • A separate, free-threaded version of Python that runs without the global interpreter lock (GIL)
  • An experimental just-in-time (JIT) compiler
  • Several improvements to Python’s static type system

For free threading and the JIT compiler, you need to compile Python with special build flags. Read Python 3.13 Preview: Free Threading and a JIT Compiler to learn more about how to explore these two new features. Additionally, Python 3.13 Preview: A Modern REPL provides more detail on the new REPL.

Read the full article at https://realpython.com/python-news-october-2024/ »


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October 07, 2024 at 07:30PM
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