Pystd, similar-ish functionality with a fraction of the compile time

https://nibblestew.blogspot.com/2026/06/pystd-standard-library-similar-ish.html

by ibobev • 26 days ago

58 31 26 days ago

$Preview of Pystd, similar-ish functionality with a fraction of the compile time$ nibblestew.blogspot.com

CJefferson• 22 days ago

Wow, that might be the worst name for a project I’ve ever seen. I think every programmer who sees this is going to assume it’s a Python thing.

With regards the library itself —- I think it’s generally known the c++ standard library is a poorly designed mess in places but if you make an entirely new one you lose all the software already written, at which point why use C++ nowadays?

integricho7• 22 days ago

Agreed, I thought this is a wrapper for STL under Python, what does the py prefix stand for here actually?

As for the why c++ at all, as long as one falls into the "don't care" category, it works fine.. lately I found myself I rather build my apps in C with NODEFAULTLIB (under Windows at least), and creating my own size-optimized standard library which on Windows wraps the Win32 API wherever possible. The size savings are incredible, my executable is in the ~500KB range, ultra small and ultra fast. This is unattainable with normal modern C++.

dsab• 22 days ago

Out of curiosity what are your projects written in C for Windows? GUI apps?

pjmlp7• 22 days ago

I instead, use VC++ latest with C++23 import std.

As for the size requirements, and having Windows experience all the way back to Windows 3.0, you can do exactly the same tricks with C++.

smokel• 22 days ago

It is a Python thing, in the sense that it is Python-inspired:

design-wise copy the Python standard library's APIs whenever possible [1]

[1] https://github.com/jpakkane/pystd

asalahli• 22 days ago

This is giving the same vibe as Windows Subsystem for Linux[0] - it kinda makes sense once somebody explains it, but is confusing as hell when you first see it

0. https://www.reddit.com/r/bashonubuntuonwindows/comments/t952...

IshKebab• 22 days ago

That is a bizarre principle. The Python standard library APIs are mediocre at best.

Surely copy the Rust APIs? Or maybe Go?

npongratz• 21 days ago

Not only that, but given how I would phonetically pronounce it... ew.

pjmlp7• 22 days ago

C++ is actually very fast to compile, the slowdowns come mostly from the way the standard library is implemented.

Only if using classical headers, std as module is already a reality on VC++.

nok22kon4• 22 days ago

wasn't there a lot of talk that modules are still not really working, in practice I mean?

pjmlp7• 22 days ago

Depends on where you are.

VC++ and clang latest with MSBuild or CMake/ninja are there, minus some bugs or code completion misbehaving (but bearable).

GCC 16 is mostly ok now, also with CMake/ninja.

All my hobby coding in C++ makes use of modules, at work it is a different matter, where libraries to be consumed by Java/.NET/nodejs, are still using C++17 as baseline.

You can easily check, https://github.com/pjmlp/RaytracingWeekend-CPP

Note the CMake version was tested initially with clang 17, and we're already on clang 22, so some of those comments are irrelevant nowadays, I haven't bothered to update the project.

Naturally if you cannot be on latest compiler releases, or suffer from CMake phobia, the support isn't there.

squirrellous• 22 days ago

Love to see someone implementing pathlib in c++. It is what stdfs could have been.

JdeBP2• 22 days ago

Given what is discussed in the commentary to the post, I wonder whether the author would be amenable to some Doxygen.

Asooka• 22 days ago

Would be helpful to show how this compares to other C++ std replacements, e.g. Abseil and Folly.

olq_plo• 22 days ago

Dumb. This is what modules are for. Also, the stdlib is extremely well designed. It considers edge cases most people never think about. Source: I am a Boost Developer.

ncruces• 22 days ago

The first word in your comment spoils the rest of it.

Rodmine• 21 days ago

Stupid. Only if you are it.

Pystd, similar-ish functionality with a fraction of the compile time

Related Stories