Book Image

Python High Performance, Second Edition - Second Edition

By : Dr. Gabriele Lanaro
Book Image

Python High Performance, Second Edition - Second Edition

By: Dr. Gabriele Lanaro

Overview of this book

Python is a versatile language that has found applications in many industries. The clean syntax, rich standard library, and vast selection of third-party libraries make Python a wildly popular language. Python High Performance is a practical guide that shows how to leverage the power of both native and third-party Python libraries to build robust applications. The book explains how to use various profilers to find performance bottlenecks and apply the correct algorithm to fix them. The reader will learn how to effectively use NumPy and Cython to speed up numerical code. The book explains concepts of concurrent programming and how to implement robust and responsive applications using Reactive programming. Readers will learn how to write code for parallel architectures using Tensorflow and Theano, and use a cluster of computers for large-scale computations using technologies such as Dask and PySpark. By the end of the book, readers will have learned to achieve performance and scale from their Python applications.
Table of Contents (10 chapters)

Fast Array Operations with NumPy and Pandas

NumPy is the de facto standard for scientific computing in Python. It extends Python with a flexible multidimensional array that allows fast and concise mathematical calculations.

NumPy provides common data structures and algorithms designed to express complex mathematical operations using a concise syntax. The multidimensional array, numpy.ndarray, is internally based on C arrays. Apart from the performance benefits, this choice allows NumPy code to easily interface with the existing C and FORTRAN routines; NumPy is helpful in bridging the gap between Python and the legacy code written using those languages.

In this chapter, we will learn how to create and manipulate NumPy arrays. We will also explore the NumPy broadcasting feature used to rewrite complex mathematical expressions in an efficient and succinct manner.

Pandas is a tool that relies heavily on NumPy and provides...