# Grug want to know truth about cat
grug hear internet have many cat facts - want cat facts fast, grug brain go purrrrr. grug scratch head, then idea come. grug try three way to get 23 cat facts:
-- grug way (`for` loop) -- fancy way (`asyncio gather`) -- magic 🗿 way (Prefect `.map`)
grug use cat fact API because grug like cats. cats smart and worthwhile, not like complexity demon.
## grug way (`for` loop) grug start simple. grug know `for` loop. `for` loop like caveman tool, always work: ```python import httpx import time MAX_CAT_FACT_LENGTH = 500 def get_cat_fact(max_length: int) -> str: response = httpx.get(f"https://catfact.ninja/fact?max_length={max_length}") response.raise_for_status() return response.json()["fact"] def grug_way(n: int = 23): start_time = time.time() cat_facts = [] for _ in range(n): cat_facts.append(get_cat_fact(MAX_CAT_FACT_LENGTH)) end_time = time.time() return cat_facts, end_time - start_time if __name__ == "__main__": facts, grug_time = grug_way() print(f"grug time: {grug_time:.2f} seconds") print(f"grug first fact: {facts[0]}") ``` grug run code, see result: ``` grug time: 3.41 seconds grug first fact: Cats have over 20 muscles that control their ears. ``` grug scratch head. why so slow? if cat have 20 muscles for ear, maybe grug need more muscle for code?
## fancy way (`asyncio.gather`) young grug tell grug about `asyncio`. grug suspicious. `asyncio` sound like complexity demon trick. but grug try anyway: ```python import asyncio import httpx import time MAX_CAT_FACT_LENGTH = 500 async def get_cat_fact(max_length: int) -> str: async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client: response = await client.get(f"https://catfact.ninja/fact?max_length={max_length}") response.raise_for_status() return response.json()["fact"] async def fancy_gather_way(n: int = 23): start_time = time.time() tasks = [get_cat_fact(MAX_CAT_FACT_LENGTH) for _ in range(n)] cat_facts = await asyncio.gather(*tasks) end_time = time.time() return cat_facts, end_time - start_time facts, fancy_time = asyncio.run(fancy_gather_way()) print(f"fancy time: {fancy_time:.2f} seconds") print(f"fancy first fact: {facts[0]}") ``` grug run fancy code, see result: ``` fancy time: 0.61 seconds fancy first fact: A cat called Dusty has the known record for the most kittens. She had more than 420 kittens in her lifetime. ``` grug impressed with speed. but grug worried. too many new words: `async`, `await`, `gather`. grug smell complexity demon nearby. grug reach for club, just in case.
## magic 🗿 way (Prefect `.map`) grug read about `prefect` on `r/dataengineering`. grug learn `prefect` is tool for making flow of tasks. grug think flow like river, task like rock in river. prefect help flow around rock.
grug read prefect server can run in whale box: ```base docker run -d -p 4200:4200 --rm \ prefecthq/prefect:3.0.0rc20-python3.12 \ prefect server start --host 0.0.0.0 ```
and grug install special rock tools: ```bash uv pip install prefect ``` young grug say `uv` is faster than `pip`. grug like fast.
grug link grug box to whale box: ```bash prefect config set PREFECT_API_URL="http://0.0.0.0:4200/api" ```
grug hear Prefect `.map` repeat same task many times, like favorable magic 🗿. grug try: ```python from prefect import flow, task import httpx import time MAX_CAT_FACT_LENGTH = 500 @task def get_cat_fact(max_length: int) -> str: response = httpx.get(f"https://catfact.ninja/fact?max_length={max_length}") response.raise_for_status() return response.json()["fact"] @flow def magic_stone_way(n: int = 23): start_time = time.time() cat_facts = get_cat_fact.map([MAX_CAT_FACT_LENGTH] * n).result() end_time = time.time() return cat_facts, end_time - start_time facts, magic_time = magic_stone_way() print(f"magic 🗿 time: {magic_time:.2f} seconds") print(f"magic 🗿 first fact: {facts[0]}") ``` grug see result: ``` magic 🗿 time: 0.74 seconds magic 🗿 first fact: Cat bites are more likely to become infected than dog bites. ``` grug happy - 🗿 fast in fancy way, but simple in grug way. grug can stalk task in UI.
when grug open http://localhost:4200, see many task happen at same time: ![grug cat](../assets/grug-run.png)
grug see many cat facts, all at same time. grug feel is grug king, rule over cat facts.
## grug learn important things:
-- grug brain way slow but simple. good for few cat facts, bad for many. like trying catch mouse with bare hands, grug too slow.
-- fancy way fast but many new words make grug head hurt. like trying catch mouse with complicated trap, catch grug finger instead.
-- magic 🗿 way (`.map`) fast and simple. grug likes magic 🗿 - like smart cat that catch mouse for grug.
grug say: when need do same thing many times, try magic `.map` 🗿. magic `.map` 🗿 turn simple code into fast code, no complexity demon smell.
grug go read cat facts now. maybe learn meow and catch mouse like smart cat.