January 22, 2016

RPython with Maciej Fijalkowski

35 minutes

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Summary

RPython is a subset of Python that is used for writing high performance interpreters for dynamic languages. The most well-known product of this tooling is the PyPy interpreter. In this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Maciej Fijalkowski about what RPython is, what it isn’t, what kinds of projects it has been used for, and what makes it so interesting.

Brief Introduction

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We are recording today on December 17th, 2015 and your hosts as usual are Tobias Macey and Chris Patti

Today we are interviewing Maciej Fijalkowski on RPython

Interview with Maciej Fijalkowski

Introductions

How did you get introduced to Python? – Chris

What is RPython and how does it differ from CPython? – Tobias

Can you share some of the history of RPython in terms of the major improvements and design choices? – Tobias

In the documentation it says that RPython is able to generate a Just In Time compiler for dynamic languages. Can you explain why that is significant and some of the ways that it does that? – Tobias

The most well-known use of RPython is the PyPy interpreter for Python. Can you share some of the other languages that have been ported to the RPython runtime and how their performance has been improved or altered in the process? – Tobias

Are there any languages that have been designed entirely for use with RPython, rather than translating an existing language to run on it? – Tobias

Do you know of any cases where an application has been written to run directly on RPython? – Tobias

What are the computer architecture and operating system platforms that RPython supports and do you have any plans to expand that support? – Tobias

Are there any minimum hardware specifications that are necessary to be able to effectively run a language written against the RPython platform? – Tobias

Is RPython similar in concept to other efforts like Parrot in the Perl world? – Chris

Are there any particular areas of the project that you need help with and how can people get involved with the project? – Tobias

Picks

Tobias

PyCoders 2015 Recap

Shape Up

Xbox One

Xbox One Kinect

Selfless

Chris

Skunk Bear

Category 6

Environments)

Maciej

PyCon South Africa

Keep In Touch

IRC

Mailing List

PyPy consultancy

Links

Psyco (Python JIT)

Truffle

HippyVM

Topaz

Pycket

Pyxie-lang

The intro and outro music is from Requiem for a Fish The Freak Fandango Orchestra / CC BY-SA

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By Tobias Macey

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