This document summarizes a talk given by Wes McKinney on the future of Python and data analysis. It discusses how pandas has helped make Python a good language for data preparation and analysis, as well as trends like the rise of web/cloud computing and big data that Python needs to keep up with. It suggests embracing JavaScript more to make Python more web-friendly, and notes opportunities around data on the web, golden ages of web visualization, and leveraging new JIT compiler technologies to keep Python relevant for data.

1. Python and Data:
What’s next?
Wes McKinney
@wesmckinn
PyCon Singapore 2013-06-14

2. Me
2013: Analytics
Startup in SF

3. Book
• Python essentials
• NumPy
• IPython
• matplotlib
• pandas
Published October 2012

4. Some context
• 2007 to 2013
• NumPy, SciPy mature
• IPython Notebook
• Key libraries/tools developed: scikit-
learn, statsmodels, PyCUDA, ...
• pandas helps make Python a desirable
data preparation language

6. pandas
• Fast structured data manipulation tools for
Python with nice API
• Goal: make Python a halfway decent language
for data preparation / statistical analysis
• Sometimes say:“R data frames in Python”
• Fast-growing user base / community

7. Aside: vbench

8. Tool inefficiency
impedes innovation

9. What can
tell us about Python?

10. Some Trends
• Decline of Desktop, Rise of Web/Cloud
• SVG / HTML5 Canvas / WebGL Tech
• Big Data
• JIT-compile all the things
• Democratize all the things

11. Challenge:
Keeping Python relevant

12. Data on the Web
• Nirvana: ubiquitous, easy data analysis
• Challenges
• JavaScript: weak language for implementing
analytics
• Computation needs to run “close” to data
• Maintaining interactivity

13. Golden age for web
visualization
SVG

14. Embracing the JavaScript
• Build bridges, not walls
• Some examples
• IPython Notebook
• RStudio
• Rob Story’s pandas integrations
• Chartkick

15. In search of the perfect
“data language”
• Minimal syntax overhead
• Domain-specific data types that all support
missing (NA) values
• Rich built-in prep-related operations
• E.g. set logic, group by, sorting, binning,
indexing
• Integrate within a larger application

16. JIT compiler tech
• LLVM: growing in popularity
• Rolling a new, fast compute engine much
easier than it used to be
• But: not sure compiling Python code is the
optimal long-term strategy

17. Big Data SQL

18. Some thoughts
• Web-friendliness: essential for survival
• You can never be too productive
• The data’s not getting any smaller

19. Thanks!