Definitive Python Polars with Jeroen Janssens and Thijs Nieuwdorp

9 snips

Jun 25, 2025

Guest

Thijs Nieuwdorp

Guest

Jeroen Janssens

Jeroen Janssens, author and Developer Relations Engineer at Posit, and Thijs Nieuwdorp, Lead Data Scientist at Xomnia, dive into the world of Polars. They discuss the library's evolution and why it outshines Pandas. Their unique journey in crafting 'Python Polars: The Definitive Guide' reveals the challenges of technical writing, blending humor with serious insights. The duo also explores the dynamics of the Dutch tech scene, contrasting it with Silicon Valley, and shares personal anecdotes about language learning and future projects.

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ANECDOTE

Thijs's Polars Origin Story

Thijs Nieuwdorp discovered Polars at his workplace where the creator was also employed.
Early Polars use and bug reporting helped him appreciate its speed and API.

INSIGHT

Polars vs Pandas: Key Differences

Polars is multi-threaded and uses Rust for speed with Python bindings.
Unlike pandas, Polars lacks an index, simplifying code reasoning.

INSIGHT

Declarative API Boosts Polars

Polars uses a declarative API approach facilitating query optimization.
This shift improves performance and usability compared to pandas.

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