Python Data Wrangling: Pandas and Polars, A Comparison

In a recent project, I had to compare several sets of externally stored data. Having used Python for over five years, I instinctively turned to Pandas for my data wrangling needs.

Pandas

Pandas is a Python library used for data analysis and manipulation on labeled datasets. The core mission of the Pandas development team is to "... be the fundamental high-level building block for doing practical, real world data analysis in Python. Additionally, it has the broader goal of becoming the most powerful and flexible open source data analysis/manipulation tool available in any language." It provides tools and methods for aligning, merging, transforming, as well as loading and writing data from various persistent stores, such as Excel, CSV, and SQL databases. It has been around since 2008 and is now regarded as the definitive tool for data analysis in Python, with wide usage from ...