with the problem we're trying to solve python fosters hybrid applications as we've seen earlier in this bookpython' extending and embedding support makes it useful in mixed-language systems without good integration facilitieseven the best rapid-development language is "closed boxand is not generally useful in modern development environments but python' integration tools make it usable in hybridmulticomponent applications as one consequencesystems can simultaneously utilize the strengths of python for rapid development and of traditional languages such as for rapid execution while it' possible and common to use python as standalone toolit doesn' impose this mode insteadpython encourages an integrated approach to application development by supporting arbitrary mixtures of python and traditional languagespython fosters spectrum of development paradigmsranging from pure prototyping to pure efficiency figure - shows the abstract case figure - the development mode "slideras we move to the left extreme of the spectrumwe optimize speed of development moving to the right side optimizes speed of execution and somewhere in between is an optimum mix for any given project with pythonnot only can we pick the proper mix for our projectbut we can also later move the rad slider in the picture arbitrarily as our needs changegoing to the right projects can be started on the left end of the scale in python and gradually moved toward the rightmodule by moduleas needed to optimize performance for delivery going to the left similarlywe can move strategic parts of existing or +applications on the right end of the scale to pythonto support end-user programming and customization on the left end of the scale this flexibility of development modes is crucial in realistic environments python is optimized for speed of developmentbut that alone isn' always enough by themselvesbut what about that bottleneck