HackSpace_-_April_2020

Letters

REGULAR

Letters

ATTENTION

ALL MAKERS!

If you have something you’d

like to get off your chest (or

even throw a word of praise

in our direction) let us know at

hsmag.cc/hello

A BIT SLIPPERY

As always, I am loving my current issue of HackSpace

magazine. But I ran across a minor issue that might

confuse readers. It could, at least, use a little deeper

explanation from the author.

On page 23 in 'Python on hardware', Drew Fustini says

that Python is an interpreted language and is not

compiled. But Python IS compiled. It compiles just

before it runs. It compiles into binary bytecodes that

execute in a simulated processor (very much like Java).

This is true even for MicroPython.

The author probably meant that Python doesn't

compile into 'native' binary that runs directly on

the processor.

Why is the distinction important? This binary

compiled bytecode is much, much faster than a pure

interpreter would be. And the binary compiled-code is

kept on the device for the next execution (the compiler

only runs once).

Thanks again for your magazine!

Christopher

Ben says: Is Python compiled or interpreted? In

truth, it doesn't really fit into either category very

well. From the user's perspective, it runs

exactly as you would expect an interpreted

language to work. You change the code, then it's

one step to run it. From the computer's

perspective, it runs more like a compiled

language – the computer doesn't care that the

compiler and virtual machine are controlled by the

same command or action. We call Python interpreted

because that's how it appears to the user, but if you

progress with the language, it's useful to remember that

this is really a little white lie.

Below

Python seems to

be everywhere

these days