On Oct 13, 9:13 pm, Peng Yu <pengyu...@gmail.com> wrote: > Bash is easy to use on manipulating files and directories (like change > name or create links, etc) and on calling external programs. For > simple functions, bash along is enough. However, bash does not support > the complex functions. Python has a richer library that could provide > support for complex functions (such compute the relative path between > two paths). > > I'm wondering for a task that can not be done with bash along whether > it would be better to do in pure python or with a mix of both python > and bash. What I care is mostly coding speed and a little bit > maintainability (but not much). Can somebody provide some experience > on when to combine python and bash and when to use pure python?
Scripting languages try to optimize gluing disparate programs together to accomplish a task; bash excels at this. Programing languages try to optimize finding the solution to a problem; Python excels at this. Generally, I try to stick to one language per problem, be it bash, C+ +, Java, Perl or Python. Bash scripts translate easily into the others, so you don't lose much time if you decide you started with the wrong language. Countering that, I also maintain a "toolbox" of programs that I can call upon when needed. In those cases, I don't hesitate to call a program that I've written in any language from a bash script. BTW, I actually prefer ksh to bash, but YMMV. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list