How to make your python code faster?

Published 3/18/2024

For that, we should know what makes python slow.

Variable Declaration 

  •  In python when you declare a variable it creates a Pyobject in the memory which has some properties like data stored and reference count.Reference count is used for garbage collection(Slow and blocking part).
  • Updating a variable works as follows:

            a = 1 # new Pyobject named a 

            a = ‘somestring’ # new Pyobject created 

Reference count of old Pyobject is decreased to 0 so it can be collected by the garbage collector(slow part).

Solution:

Using as low number of variable as possible.

x = result 

return x

Fix could be returning x.

Loops

  •   loops in python are slow.because of large number re declaration of variables.

for x in range(10):

In every loop we redeclare x and old value is need to be garbage collected.

Solution:

Use builtin methods for processes that are possible with builtin methods because they are implemented in C.

Or use a library like pandas, polars, and numpy etc.They use c|cpp under the hood.

Polars uses rust.

Example:

Using sets to remove copies from an array.

For more information 

https://youtu.be/N7cgUnW-tZQ?si=I16cG7Po6Jc40Vgg