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cloud.google.com·6h ago
Data Science
Simon Willison's Blog·Aug 25·5 min read
EVE Online: The Move to Python 3 Begins!
TL;DR
EVE Online is initiating its transition from Stackless Python 2.7 to Python 3, a significant upgrade after 16 years. This process will involve automated and manual code reviews to address compatibility issues across 2.4 million lines of code.
✦ Why It Matters
Evaluate your own codebase for Python 2 dependencies and plan for migration to Python 3.
Key Takeaways
- Assess your projects for Python 2 usage and plan migration strategies.
- Familiarize yourself with the differences between Python 2 and 3.
- Explore the carbonengine/scheduler library for potential use in your projects.
- Stay updated on EVE Online's progress for insights into large-scale Python migrations.
Full Summary
EVE Online, a long-standing online game, has utilized Stackless Python since its inception in 2003, with its last major upgrade occurring in 2010. The upcoming transition to Python 3 marks a pivotal shift, as the team will employ the futurize script to convert approximately 2.4 million lines of code.
Following this automated process, they will manually review around 20,000 instances where Python 2 and 3 differ, such as changes in division behavior. Although the announcement does not detail how Stackless will be replaced, insights from a previous conference presentation indicate that they have already transitioned to a new scheduling system in their recent game, EVE Frontier, using the open-source carbonengine/scheduler library.
This upgrade is crucial for maintaining the game's performance and compatibility with modern Python standards.