Benefits and follies of mixing languages between a client and a server

So I'm in a position where I have a graphical client (Blender, in case anyone cares) which uses python scripting for interaction.

Now, I don't at all mind the idea of using python to accept packets from a server and send commands to the graphics engine, based on what the packets are.

However, I certainly am skittish when it comes to making an entire server using python. Sure, the easiest thing to do is have python talking to python but it isn't absolutely necessary... the TCP protocol is there and I can use another language as the server.

Now, this poses certain issues as well as benefits. The obvious benefit is that I can use a language I like more (c++ perhaps). The obvious downfall is who the hell wants to deal with communication between two different languages, because that means a lot of the really nice functions to make life easy in either language won't work.

I'd like the feedback of more knowledgeable people, preferably those who have done this before.

There is nothing wrong with mixing languages - I think it is a good idea to use the most appropriate languages for any job. A good sweet spot is to use a high level dynamic language for the bulk of the code to maximise productivity, then where necessary rewrite time-critical sections in a static compiled language for speed.

However Python is a great language, and is more than up to the job that you want to do. For example the MMORPG Eve Online is written mostly in Python with a little bit of C, and that can support 100,000+ simultaneous users.

Take a look at the Twisted library for Python - it will give you everything you need for client-server communication. IMHO Writing the server is Python will be an order of magnitude easier than doing it in C++.

Dave

You might want to check out Apache Thrift, which came out of Facebook.

Thanks. That puts my mind at ease, I guess. Python it is.


That's pretty cool. In normal circumstances I'd give it heavy consideration but since this project is, as almost all my projects are, a learning project, I think I'll stick to writing without a framework. I would like to get down to the gritty on this one.

I can't imagine anyone preferring C++ over any modern language. But asside from that.....

Every time you add a language, you increase your support costs. You need to hire people who know both (all?) languages that you are using. As the number of languages grows, it gets harder and harder to find good engineers who speak all the languages.

If you have a really big system, then you are going to have separate teams split something like:

1) front end/GUI stuff
2) middle domain specific stuff
3) database
4) billing and accounting.

In this case, its not a big deal to have four languages, if they are restricted to one layer. Using four languages in the 1) front end/GUI stuff is a sin.

I actually prefer C++. It goes with my background, and extends it.

DevCoach is correct, however. I wrote a pitch game (a card game) for local friends when their source of said game disappeared.

This game included communication with the game engine, communication with a common chat area, and private communication between two people.

I wrote it all in Python, without the library that DevCoach references. It was much easier than C or C++, despite the fact that I didn't include pre-invented wheels, out of pure ignorance.

The things that Fish tells you are usually true, to some extent, but Fish has a very limited view. He sees no part of life other than that limited slice which he has experienced or heard about in the bars.

Pity.

They use Python in Battlefield 2 and 2142, there's a whole wiki dedicated to detailing it. You can see the Python files in the python/bf2 directory inside the main game directory.

I like it. It's far more powerful though much harder to write than most modern languages.


Me.


Again... Me.


Blender takes care of the engine for me, thankfully. Python gives the engine more direction, in this case.



Edit: I want to rephrase this a little. In general, you're absolutely right about adding layers of complexity. Furthermore, I'm not arguing for using multiple languages anymore. What I'm pointing out is that this is a solo project, as a hobby of sorts.

Yes, 95% chance this will never go anywhere. Yes, if it does go somewhere, it'll take years and years to be a workable project. That's the point of a hobby: You make progress, you learn more, but you're never finished.

In that case, do what the Project Manager says, or what the Chief Engineer says. Since they and the coffee boy are all you. its your call.

I think the point that will come out of this is that if you are learning it as a hobby to increase your skills and widen your knowledge, then perhaps using multiple languages is a good idea. However, if you are trying to learn this as something to put in place in the real world, you may be better off trying to learn to put this together using one language to make it easier to support.

That said, in the real world, you will have to interact between multiple languages at some point, because systems evolve and morph and not every language can do everything.

I think I'm in a pretty similar situation as you are gimp, pretty young, been out in the real world for a couple years now, working in the technology sector, trying to better myself and always be learning new stuff.

At home, I write projects using multiples of C/C++/PHP/Python/Labview/VB/ASP. This way I get to learn a bit of everything, how they interact with each other, etc.

At work, in theory I only work with labview. 90% of what I deal with is automated testing of electronics. That's all good and fine, except labview isn't all that great at dealing with some of the reporting that we want done. So let's add in a bit of php. That's all good, except now we've hit some limitations of Putty, so let's add in some C to make our own client.

I've long since forgotten what my point is, but it does pay to know how to make applications both ways...using one language, or linking multiples together.

Haha, just got a year on ya, but finished high school 2 years ago and just went straight to work.