Thoughts on Python for Scripting

In an era of endless programming language options, Python continues to be my first reach for automation tasks, quick prototypes, and system scripting. Here's why this 35-year-old language still dominates my toolbox, and when I might consider alternatives.

Python code snippet in an editor
A typical Python scripting session in modern VS Code

Why Python? The Eternal Scripting Language

Three key factors keep Python relevant for daily scripting needs:

Scripting Showcase: Common Tasks

Here's a typical file processing script I might write:

# Process log files older than 7 days
import os
from pathlib import Path
from datetime import datetime, timedelta

cutoff = datetime.now() - timedelta(days=7)
log_dir = Path("/var/log/myapp")

for file in log_dir.glob("*.log"):
    if file.stat().st_mtime < cutoff.timestamp():
        print(f"Archiving {file.name}")
        os.rename(file, f"/archive/{file.name}")

Alternatives Worth Considering

Language Best For Pain Points
Bash/PowerShell Simple file operations, CLI plumbing Complex logic becomes unreadable
JavaScript (Node.js) Web-centric automation Callback hell, package management
Go Performance-critical tools Overkill for simple tasks

When Python Isn't the Answer

Essential Python Scripting Packages

# My go-to toolkit:
import sys        # System parameters
import argparse   # CLI arguments
import pathlib    # Modern path handling
import requests   # HTTP for humans
import rich       # Beautiful console output
import pandas     # Data wrangling
import typer      # CLI framework

Conclusion: The Right Tool for the Job

While I reach for Python 80% of the time, it's important to recognize when other tools might be better suited. For quick one-off scripts, system automation, and data manipulation, Python remains unmatched in its balance of simplicity and capability. What's your scripting language of choice?