Meet Srivatsan Sridharan: Moving From Batch Data Processing to Streaming
This post is part of a series introducing the speakers at the PyBay2018 conference in San Francisco later this month. It’s a great chance to learn and connect with an engaged and diverse community of Python developers. We hope you’ll join us!
What are you going to be speaking about at PyBay 2018, and why are you excited to give this talk?
I’m going to be talking about the challenges we faced [at Yelp] when making a big organizational shift from traditional batch data processing to a more modern streaming solution. I learned a lot from this experience — both from a technical and people perspective. I’m excited to share those learnings back with the community!
How did you get into programming and Python?
My parents bought me a Pentium PC back when I was 8 years old. My older brother and I started tinkering with it right away. Soon after, I discovered QBasic and wrote my very first computer program (which probably still exists in some floppy disk at my parents’ place :-)). I started Python more recently — 6 years ago, when I joined Yelp as a software engineer.
What’s one of the features about Python you like the best?
Oh man, this is hard. It’s like picking a favorite child. I think I’m going to have to pick list comprehensions. They are simple and so elegant.
What’s your favorite Python library (core or third-party), and why?
I really love requests. The API is so simple, obvious, and elegant. I’m seriously considering naming the next pet I get “requests”.
What’s the coolest or most memorable thing that’s ever happened to you interacting with other Python devs?
One of the most memorable moments I can remember was having this debate about metaclasses with my coworkers that lasted several weeks. It’s been many years since then, but even now if I say the word “metaclasses” to them, we resume where we left off.
What can you be found doing when you’re not writing code?
Sadly, I don’t write as much code anymore. I moved to the “dark side” (aka engineering management). But when I do write code, I like writing tests. Because, hey, TDD is amazing! Outside the realm of computers or people working with computers, I like traveling, running, creative writing, and performing improv comedy.
What’s the best advice you’ve received as a Python developer?
When I started my career as a software engineer, my mentor at the time advised me to invest in my craft. That led me to read about and practice things like TDD, and the SOLID principles. I’m grateful for the foundation it gave me, and I’m continuing to learn and hone my craft. #AlwaysBeLearning
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