Python Performance

---
name: python-performance
description: Profile and optimize Python code using cProfile, memory profilers, and performance best practices. Use when debugging slow code, optimizing bottlenecks, or improving application performance.
category: performance
tags: [python, performance, profiling, optimization, cProfile, memory]
tools: [profiler-runner, memory-analyzer, benchmark-suite]
usage_patterns:
  - performance-analysis
  - bottleneck-identification
  - memory-optimization
  - algorithm-optimization
complexity: intermediate
estimated_tokens: 1200
progressive_loading: true
modules:
  - profiling-tools
  - optimization-patterns
  - memory-management
  - benchmarking-tools
  - best-practices
---

# Python Performance Optimization

Profiling and optimization patterns for Python code.

## Quick Start

```python
# Basic timing
import timeit
time = timeit.timeit("sum(range(1000000))", number=100)
print(f"Average: {time/100:.6f}s")
```

## When to Use

- Identifying performance bottlenecks
- Reducing application latency
- Optimizing CPU-intensive operations
- Reducing memory consumption
- Profiling production applications
- Improving database query performance

## Modules

This skill is organized into focused modules for progressive loading:

### [profiling-tools](modules/profiling-tools.md)
CPU profiling with cProfile, line profiling, memory profiling, and production profiling with py-spy. Essential for identifying where your code spends time and memory.

### [optimization-patterns](modules/optimization-patterns.md)
Ten proven optimization patterns including list comprehensions, generators, caching, string concatenation, data structures, NumPy, multiprocessing, and database operations.

### [memory-management](modules/memory-management.md)
Memory optimization techniques including leak tracking with tracemalloc and weak references for caches. Depends on profiling-tools.

### [benchmarking-tools](modules/benchmarking-tools.md)
Benchmarking tools including custom decorators and pytest-benchmark for verifying performance improvements.

### [best-practices](modules/best-practices.md)
Best practices, common pitfalls, and exit criteria for performance optimization work. Synthesizes guidance from profiling-tools and optimization-patterns.

## Exit Criteria

- Profiled code to identify bottlenecks
- Applied appropriate optimization patterns
- Verified improvements with benchmarks
- Memory usage acceptable
- No performance regressions