Opinion on Libraries
Posted by Lumpy_Marketing_6735@reddit | Python | View on Reddit | 13 comments
What is your opinion on libraries do you use them as much as possible. Do you think you should do everything yourself as much as possible. What is your personal opinion on libraries.
Scared_Sail5523@reddit
The utilization of libraries is generally considered a highly efficient practice in software development, as it allows developers to leverage tested and optimized code for common tasks, significantly reducing development time. While writing everything oneself offers maximum control and a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanics, it often leads to unnecessary duplication of effort and introduces a higher risk of bugs compared to using established, well-maintained external packages.
durable-racoon@reddit
Use them as much as possible. yes. libraries good. Don't try and build hard things yourself.
Some exceptions apply. If you find yourself wrangling the library's abstractions more than solving your problems, maybe step back and just write the python code. If you find yourself starting to write your own library to solve a problem, do a quick search "does a library exist"?"
Tall-Introduction414@reddit
I have to say, I think this is foolish advice, as you are effectively trusting a 3rd party to do security and maintenance. This line of thinking is exactly why npm's upstream malware is causing such problems in the industry right now.
If you don't have a good reason to use a 3rd party library, don't.
durable-racoon@reddit
Security audits exist. You can do them yourself or hire others. there are other mitigation methods as well. It all depends on your threat profile and risk matrix and stuff.
Even the US Department of Defense audits and approves python packages to be used (they freeze the versions), rather than rewriting from scratch.
Tall-Introduction414@reddit
People who want their software to work long term. People who want their software to be portable. People who want to be able to fix bugs in their software instead of relying on an upstream to do it.
Security is not the only reason, though it is a good reason. Libraries change. They go unmaintained. Quality varies wildly.
Using dependencies is fine, when there is a good reason. Using them just to save a few lines of code, on the other hand, is asking for problems.
Tying your application to a 3rd party dependency without any mitigating separation of logic, is terrible advice. When a library breaks, do you want to re-write your whole application? Or would you rather just re-write a shim file?
Especially in the Python ecosystem, where dependency handling has traditionally been a weak point.
If it's a hard domain problem, or will require lots of code, sure, a dependency makes sense. I'm not going to be writing my own encryption or imaging algorithms, in most situations. But "using them as much as possible" is just bad advice.
Tall-Introduction414@reddit
Long-term, 3rd party libraries are tech debt. You are trusting security and maintenance to someone else, and that is a risk.
I use them when it makes sense, but it is better to structure your code so that 3rd party libraries can be swapped out for a given task. This also increases portability.
Python's standard library is excellent.
athermop@reddit
The only reasonable thing to say about libraries is that using libraries has costs and benefits. Weight them accordingly based upon the specific library and the circumstances where you're going to be using them.
Both "use them as much as possible" and "use them as little as possible" mean the same thing.
Gnaxe@reddit
Library quality varies. Dependencies complicate your build. They're also potential security risks. You may need to upgrade them, which sometimes isn't hard. But they may lose support. Make sure they're worth it.
Start with high quality libraries. The standard library can already do a lot and is well supported and tested. Get familiar with well known ones next, especially ones mentioned in the standard library docs. Sometimes popular newer alternatives are better. Avoid using multiple libraries that do the same thing at the same time. Obscure ones can still be worth it sometimes if one does exactly what you need. But writing it yourself can be better than using a bad library.
BranchLatter4294@reddit
Don't reinvent the wheel.
riklaunim@reddit
If you can trust a library then you should use it - if the library is well made and maintained and you arent hit by any issues.
It's also near impossible to do everything yourself in finite amount of time.
MrStricty@reddit
The alternative is reinventing the wheel for yourself any time you need to do anything. I’d recommend the libraries. It’s a noble thought to want to do everything by hand for sake of understanding the systems, but the reality is that once you move past the basics of a language and into building cool stuff, a big part of the task is working with the abstractions others have built with libraries.
It would be like developing Windows applications and deciding to run direct syscalls and your own assembly stubs vs using the Windows API.
Libraries are what bridge the gap between the calculator app in books + useful production software.
vinnypotsandpans@reddit
Just make sure to be quiet
dusktreader@reddit
Also, no food or drink.