Pylons
Pylons is a lightweight, open-source web application framework written in Python, designed for rapid development of scalable web applications. It follows a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture and emphasizes flexibility, allowing developers to choose their own components for templating, database interaction, and other features. The framework was popular in the mid-to-late 2000s and served as a precursor to modern Python web frameworks like Pyramid.
Developers should learn Pylons to understand the evolution of Python web frameworks and for maintaining legacy applications built during its peak usage period. It is particularly useful for projects that require a high degree of customization, as its minimalist core allows integration with various third-party libraries. However, for new projects, more modern alternatives like Flask or Django are generally recommended due to better community support and updated features.