# #531: Talk Python in Prod

Guest: **Michael Kennedy**

Scheduled: **November 26, 2025**

**Recorded:** November 26, 2025 at 11:10 AM
**Duration:** 1h 23m
**Questions:** 15
**Events:** 12

## Recording Started (0:00)

## Question 7: Why not just use the cloud? (0:00)

## Question 9: Docker + uv (0:00)

This would be fun to dive into a bit. It's really a game changer for speed and flexibility.

## Question 11: The allure of self hosting (0:00)

One of the reasons you picked Docker is all the third party apps you can just plug in. In the book you mention btop, glances, and others. How is this a game changer? Any one that sticks out you couldn’t live without?

## Question 12: Static sites (0:00)

- Can you have one for a real app?
- Is it either / or?
- Combining static sites + python based ones

## Question 13: CDNs (0:00)

- Web apps on easy mode

## Question 1: A little “tell us about yourself” bit, like you do with your guests (1:24)

**Timeline:**

- 1:24 - **Question Started:** Question 1 started

## Question 2: What prompted you to write it? (6:33)

**Timeline:**

- 6:33 - **Question Started:** Question 2 started

## Question 4: The book has some neat non-standard features (14:40)

The Audio Reader’s Briefs and the Galleries, gives a quick run down on what they are and why you included them.

**Timeline:**

- 14:40 - **Question Started:** Question 4 started

## Question 3: Made by humans (19:58)

You’re a big AI proponent, yet you’ve got a “Made by Humans” logo, what made you decide to do this the old fashioned way?

**Timeline:**

- 19:58 - **Question Started:** Question 3 started

## Question 6: Why build it yourself? (28:50)

**Timeline:**

- 28:50 - **Question Started:** Question 6 started

## Question 5: Talk Python’s technical journey (30:54)

- One of the things I like about the book is that it covers Talk Python’s technical journey. A lot of content like this is very opinionated “this is best”, whereas you’ve shown how your approach has changed over time. You started out in Pyramid, right?

**Timeline:**

- 30:54 - **Question Started:** Question 5 started

## Question 8: Chapter 4 is titled, “Docker, Docker, Docker” (38:26)

- What’s that one about?
- Originally I wasn't for it, but then "one big server"
- That needs more isolation for the long haul
- Not into docker compose? Consider **Coolify for a Heroku-like self hosted experience**. https://coolify.io

**Timeline:**

- 38:26 - **Question Started:** Question 8 started

## Question 10: Heavy-weight docker? (49:25)

A lot of people try to make their docker instances absolutely as minimal as possible. I kind of promote the alternative, adding all the tools that make your life easier. It might be fun to debate this.

**Timeline:**

- 49:25 - **Question Started:** Question 10 started

## Question 14: Picking a Python Web Framework (54:05)

I think my favourite chapter was 13, titled “Picking a Python Web Framework”. I liked the nuance of it. We often don’t get to see people’s reasoning behind things. I think there is real value in this chapter even if you’re not planning on using the tech outline elsewhere. Understanding trade-offs is important.

**Timeline:**

- 54:05 - **Question Started:** Question 14 started

## Question 15: Similarly Chapter 15: Hetzner (67:55)

- Where you do a retrospective on choosing Hetzner your host provider.

**Timeline:**

- 67:55 - **Question Started:** Question 15 started

## Interview Ended (84:15)

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## Reference Links

- **Talk Python in Production Book**: [https://talkpython.fm/books/python-in-production](https://talkpython.fm/books/python-in-production)
- **glances**: [https://github.com/nicolargo/glances](https://github.com/nicolargo/glances)
- **btop**: [https://github.com/aristocratos/btop](https://github.com/aristocratos/btop)
- **Uptimekuma**: [https://uptimekuma.org](https://uptimekuma.org)
- **Coolify**: [https://coolify.io](https://coolify.io)
- **Talk Python Blog**: [https://talkpython.fm/blog/](https://talkpython.fm/blog/)
- **Hetzner**: [https://hetzner.cloud/?ref=UQMdSwUenwRE](https://hetzner.cloud/?ref=UQMdSwUenwRE)
- **OpalStack**: [https://www.opalstack.com/](https://www.opalstack.com/)
- **Bunny.net CDN**: [https://bunny.net/cdn/](https://bunny.net/cdn/)
- **Galleries from the book**: [https://github.com/mikeckennedy/talk-python-in-production-devops-book/tree/main/galleries](https://github.com/mikeckennedy/talk-python-in-production-devops-book/tree/main/galleries)
- **Pandoc**: [https://pandoc.org](https://pandoc.org)
- **Docker**: [https://www.docker.com](https://www.docker.com)


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