Hey folks! I'm conducting a survey focused on energy-conscious software development, and I'd love your input. We often prioritize performance, scalability, and maintainability in our work, but how often do we actively consider energy consumption as an important goal? It seems like improvements in energy efficiency usually end up being incidental rather than intentional. I'm especially interested in the perspective of Python developers, since the language has a significant impact on global energy usage. How do you factor energy optimization into your projects? Is it something you consciously strive for, or does it come naturally with performance enhancements? This survey aims to explore how energy consumption is measured in practice, if companies prioritize it, and the challenges developers face. Your thoughts would be super valuable! The survey is part of a research project at Leipzig University and will only take about 15 minutes. [Take the survey here](https://umfrage.uni-leipzig.de/index.php/762399?lang=en) Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
4 Answers
Honestly, energy efficiency isn't something I think about much. Management often just cares about how quickly we can deliver, not how efficiently we use resources. Even if they wanted to switch to a more efficient language, the costs of dev hours outweigh any potential savings on infrastructure.
If you're really into performance, you'd probably avoid Python altogether. It’s not exactly the most energy-efficient choice out there, according to some discussions. But hey, it still gets the job done for many use cases!
I have to disagree with that. Articles claiming Python is a total waste don't fully understand its purpose. It’s about finding the right tool for the job.
While energy consumption is definitely a factor, it's often just a tiny part of the overall costs for big companies. Developer salaries and data center operations take precedence. Although, with the rise of energy-hungry AI models, this may start shifting the conversation. By the way, I find your survey interesting, but 15 minutes is a significant ask for something like that.
In practice, energy concerns are usually off the radar. Companies and leadership are focused on getting features out the door, and they won't prioritize energy efficiency unless there's a major customer push for optimization. It's rare for developers to get the freedom to focus on improving performance without being prompted by leadership.
Totally agree! At the end of the day, if it doesn't impact our bottom line right now, it's not a priority.