AWK is 3x slower than PYTHON :(

gistfile1.sh

# The task: cut column 1 and 2 and reorder them 2,1
# TLDR: python 15s awk 1m24s on 1.2 GB text file

# WAT?

# Dataset:

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python ls -alh test_data.2
-rw-r--r--  1 cypreess  staff   1.2G Jun 30 17:33 test_data.2

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python head -n 2 test_data.2
3460835780,NOWY DOTYKOWY LG T375 Wi-Fi DUAL SIM + GRATISY FV,238.0,0.0,1,238.0,16,1,0,1377263058,-515,Warszawa,7,1,127367,1,http://img13.allegroimg.pl/photos/128x96/34/60/83/57/3460835780,1,14.0,0,0,1,0,0,48,0,None,107312,jas1,2002,3
3460836407,NOWY SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 2 N7100 WHITE FV 23%,1799.0,0.0,1,1799.0,1,1,0,1377263086,-487,Kraków,6,1,125211,1,http://img08.allegroimg.pl/photos/128x96/34/60/83/64/3460836407,1,19.0,0,0,0,0,1,72,0,None,28397872,-Max_Mobile-,1707,3


# Python first run

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python cat test.py
import sys

with open(sys.argv[2]) as f:
    for l in f:
        x = l.split(sys.argv[1])
        print "%s%s%s" % (x[1], sys.argv[1], x[0])


iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python time python test.py , test_data.2 > /dev/null

real	0m26.576s
user	0m26.111s
sys	0m0.435s

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python time python test.py , test_data.2 > /dev/null

real	0m26.588s
user	0m25.894s
sys	0m0.448s

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python time python test.py , test_data.2 > /dev/null

real	0m25.498s
user	0m24.868s
sys	0m0.449s


# AWK run

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python time awk -F, '{print $2 $1}' test_data.2 > /dev/null

real	1m34.901s
user	1m34.153s
sys	0m0.553s
iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python time awk -F, '{print $2 $1}' test_data.2 > /dev/null

real	1m35.660s
user	1m34.441s
sys	0m0.582s


# Python super duper optimization

iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python cat test.py
import sys

with open(sys.argv[2]) as f:
    for l in f:
        x = l.split(sys.argv[1], 3) # <-- here
        print "%s%s%s" % (x[1], sys.argv[1], x[0])
        
(nlp)iMac27~/dev/awk_vs_python time python test.py , test_data.2 > /dev/null

real	0m15.032s
user	0m14.593s
sys	0m0.408s