Selection of tools in an ever-evolving world of DevOps and automation impacts the agility and efficiency of managing and maintaining infrastructure. When it comes to scripting and automation, two names that are always considered are Python and Go (Golang). The Go vs Python debate is crucial for teams deciding on the best programming language for their automation needs.

So, for DevOps tasks, which one should you go for?

Is one of them more suited for writing quick scripts, while the other is better suited for building automation tools that are used in production environments?

Let’s explore this step by step, analyze it in simple, and explore it in everyday terms instead of a programming textbook.

The Philosophy Behind Both Languages Go vs Python

Understanding the origin of each language is essential before picking a side.

Python: Just like the multi-functional Swiss army knife, Python is an interpreted, dynamically typed language that prioritizes readability. It enables the creation of web applications, automation tools, and even allows AI research to be conducted using the ‘power’ of Python.

Also, Python has been around since the 1990s and is loved by users because ‘it just works.’ What gives it added appeal is the fact that most people, regardless of their prior experience, find it easy to read and write Python code.

Go: Go was designed ​at Google to solve real world software engineering problems. It’s compiled, statically typed, and has a strong focus on simplicity, speed, and concurrency. Go is a language built for scale: the cloud and maintainability in large teams. Go is designed to be practical and solves real-world issues that programmers face at Google.

In short:

• Python: Read and write code dynamically and with ease.
• Go: Construct systems that are designed to be powerful, efficient, and easy to maintain.

Learning Efficiency and Developmental Duration

If you are a beginner in DevOps or if you need to piece something together in a short period of time, Python is without a doubt the best option. Unlike many programming languages, python is very simple, for example, writing a script to automate manual works.

Whether you are sending an HTTP request or managing resources in the cloud, you will discover a library that fits your need.

Let’s look at a simple example:

import os

os.system(“sudo apt update”)

That is your update script.

In Go, even this small example requires several packages to be imported, followed by compilation, and then dealing with the binary. It isn’t challenging, it’s just more rigid, structured, and requires more lines of code.

So, for users whose day consists of writing throwaway scripts, quick cron jobs, or even hands-on coding, Python is ideal.

Performance and Concurrency

Here is where Go outperforms the competition. Go is compiled to machine code; therefore, it doesn’t suffer from the same issues as interpreted languages such as Python with its Global Interpreter Lock (GIL). It runs faster and performs better in multitasking with its goroutines which enable concurrency.

If you’re building something like:

• A log processor that reads millions of events,
• An infrastructure daemon that listens for changes,
• Or a CI/CD tool plugin that needs speed and concurrency.

Then Go will always outperform Python.

When DevOps engineers set out to build tools, microservices, or schedule daemons, Go tends to be the more reliable choice.

Ecosystem and Tooling

Now let’s get into the details.

Python’s Ecosystem

• The availability of resources related to DevOps in Python is almost endless. There are libraries for everything like Ansible modules, the AWS SDK (Boto3), and even K8s python clients for interfacing with the Kubernetes APIs.
• Additionally, SaltStack and Ansible, along with other components, leverage Python in their systems while Terraform scripts aim to provide similar functionality.
• Regardless of your situation, there are solutions available to you and noteworthy resources like Stack Overflow and GitHub will have relevant snippets that can get you unstuck.

Go’s Ecosystem

• Go is behind the development of modern cloud-native tools like Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, and Prometheus; that is a great sign.
• With Go, tools such as (go mod, go fmt, and go test) are part of the language which ensures tidy and uniform code with every file, thus helps maintain good structure.
• Building REST APIs, CLIs, and infrastructure tools is simple when done in Go. More importantly, it creates single binary executables that can run on any machine without needed dependencies, so you don’t have to worry about where to install it.

Verdict: With Python, you get an inventory of libraries and can perform scheduled tasks with little effort. With Go, you get modern infrastructure tools and perform clean CLI command building.

Deployment and Portability

It’s here that Go becomes the DevOps dream.

In Go, you can compile a program, and it will produce an independent binary. It doesn’t depend on a version of Python, has no issues with virtualenvs or pip, and it runs on Linux, MacOS, and even inside Docker containers.

This makes Go perfect for writing:

• command line tools
• system daemons
• k8s operators
• monitoring agents

Python, however, expects the environment to be configured beforehand, which includes the Python version, pip libraries, and possibly even virtual environments or Docker. It doesn’t completely ruin the experience, but it does add to the burden.

So, when it comes to cross-configuration environment applying with a single click, Go clearly wins this round.

Debugging, Testing, and Maintainability

There are different approaches to testing and debugging in both languages.

Python:

• Tests can be run quickly, but dynamic nature can lead to runtime errors.
• Unit tests can be written effortlessly, but unexpected surprises lurk at runtime if something is overlooked.

Go:

• Go’s stricter compile-time checks catch more errors compared to Python, saving time later in the development process.
• Go fosters better unit code structure and makes unit testing more intuitive.
• With built-in go test and go benchmark tools, performance tuning becomes effortless.

For long-term or large team projects focused on automation, Go prevents incurring technical debt easily.

Language Recommendations for Common Use Cases

Python works well with quick automation, rote instruction, and uncomplicated provisioning, whereas Go is better suited to high-performance microservices, CLI tools, and Kubernetes operator tasks.

Table1: Selecting the Appropriate Language for DevOps Activities: Go vs Python Based on Tasks

Use the Right Tool, Not the Popular One

For example, if you are ever part of a team where Python scripts are already in use, it is perfectly alright to stick with it because Python is useful, readable, and inhumanely productive for DevOps scripting.

However, if you are moving towards building tools that are scalable, high-performing, and portable, then Go should definitely be on your radar.

The best DevOps engineers will tell you both. They will tell you how Python is useful, and how Go saves the day when scaling starts to make Python cumbersome.

So instead of asking the baffling question of “Go vs Python”? the better approach would be:

“Which tool helps me to maintain and update systems better and will always point me in the right direction?” That provides guidance on the tools of the trade.

FAQs

1. Is Golang better than Python when it comes to DevOps tasks?

Yes. DevOps tasks that need speed, concurrency, and static binaries are usually handled better in Golang. On the other hand, Python handles scripting and automation better.

2. In which situations is best to use Python and Go?

Whenever there are quick scripts, automation, and data related tasks, you can use Python. In case of services that need basic Go and systems that require multitasking Go should be used.

3. Does Golang fit well in a DevOps environment?

Absolutely. Go offers great support with executing and deploying concurrently and at the same time efficiently.

4. How would you describe Python & Go?

Python is an interpreted, high-level scripting language. Go (Golang) is a statically typed, compiled language designed for performance and simplicity.

5. How does each language fit in a scripting role?

For scalable backend services, Go would be the best choice. For fast automation and development, Python would fit better.

6. Would you recommend Go for DevOps?

Of course. Go is great for developing DevOps applications like Docker and Kubernetes, doing tasks at great speed.