In this chapter, we will discuss the following topics in detail −

• Basic Example showing the working of observable, operators, and subscribing to the observer.
• Difference between observable and subject.
• Understanding cold and hot observables.

Given below is a basic example showing the working of observable, operators, and subscribing to the observer.

Example

test.py

import requests
import rx
import json
from rx import operators as ops
def filternames(x):
   if (x["name"].startswith("C")):
      return x["name"]
   else :
      return ""
content = requests.get(''https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users'')
y = json.loads(content.text)
source = rx.from_(y)
case1 = source.pipe(
   ops.filter(lambda c: filternames(c)),
   ops.map(lambda a:a["name"])
)
case1.subscribe(
   on_next = lambda i: print("Got - {0}".format(i)), 8. RxPy — Examples
   on_error = lambda e: print("Error : {0}".format(e)),
   on_completed = lambda: print("Job Done!"),
)

Here, is a very simple example, wherein, I am getting user data from this URL −

https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users.

Filtering the data, to give the names starting with “C”, and later using the map to return the names only. Here is the output for the same −

E:pyrxexamples>python test.py
Got - Clementine Bauch
Got - Chelsey Dietrich
Got - Clementina DuBuque
Job Done!

Difference between observable and subject

In this example, we will see the difference between an observable and a subject.

from rx import of, operators as op
import random
test1 = of(1,2,3,4,5)
sub1 = test1.pipe(
   op.map(lambda a : a+random.random())
)
print("From first subscriber")
subscriber1 = sub1.subscribe(lambda i: print("From sub1 {0}".format(i)))
print("From second subscriber")
subscriber2 = sub1.subscribe(lambda i: print("From sub2 {0}".format(i)))

Output

E:pyrx>python testrx.py
From first subscriber
From sub1 1.610450821095726
From sub1 2.9567564032037335
From sub1 3.933217537811936
From sub1 4.82444905626622
From sub1 5.929414892567188
From second subscriber
From sub2 1.8573813517529874
From sub2 2.902433239469483
From sub2 3.2289868093016825
From sub2 4.050413890694411
From sub2 5.226515068012821

In the above example, every time you subscribe to the observable, it will give you new values.

Subject Example

from rx import of, operators as op
import random
from rx.subject import Subject
subject_test = Subject()
subject_test.subscribe(
   lambda x: print("From sub1 {0}".format(x))
)
subject_test.subscribe(
   lambda x: print("From sub2 {0}".format(x))
)
test1 = of(1,2,3,4,5)
sub1 = test1.pipe(
   op.map(lambda a : a+random.random())
)
subscriber = sub1.subscribe(subject_test)

Output

E:pyrx>python testrx.py
From sub1 1.1789422863284509
From sub2 1.1789422863284509
From sub1 2.5525627903260153
From sub2 2.5525627903260153
From sub1 3.4191549324778325
From sub2 3.4191549324778325
From sub1 4.644042420199624
From sub2 4.644042420199624
From sub1 5.079896897489065
From sub2 5.079896897489065

If you see the values are shared, between both subscribers using the subject.

Understanding Cold and Hot Observables

An observable is classified as

• Cold Observables
• Hot Observables

The difference in observables will be noticed when multiple subscribers are subscribing.

Cold Observables

Cold observables, are observable that are executed, and renders data each time it is subscribed. When it is subscribed, the observable is executed and the fresh values are given.

The following example gives the understanding of cold observable.

from rx import of, operators as op
import random
test1 = of(1,2,3,4,5)
sub1 = test1.pipe(
   op.map(lambda a : a+random.random())
)
print("From first subscriber")
subscriber1 = sub1.subscribe(lambda i: print("From sub1 {0}".format(i)))
print("From second subscriber")
subscriber2 = sub1.subscribe(lambda i: print("From sub2 {0}".format(i)))

Output

E:pyrx>python testrx.py
From first subscriber
From sub1 1.610450821095726
From sub1 2.9567564032037335
From sub1 3.933217537811936
From sub1 4.82444905626622
From sub1 5.929414892567188
From second subscriber
From sub2 1.8573813517529874
From sub2 2.902433239469483
From sub2 3.2289868093016825
From sub2 4.050413890694411
From sub2 5.226515068012821

In the above example, every time you subscribe to the observable, it will execute the observable and emit values. The values can also differ from subscriber to subscriber as shown in the example above.

Hot Observables

In the case of hot observable, they will emit the values when they are ready and will not always wait for a subscription. When the values are emitted, all the subscribers will get the same value.

You can make use of hot observable when you want values to emitted when the observable is ready, or you want to share the same values to all your subscribers.

An example of hot observable is Subject and connectable operators.

from rx import of, operators as op
import random
from rx.subject import Subject
subject_test = Subject()
subject_test.subscribe(
   lambda x: print("From sub1 {0}".format(x))
)
subject_test.subscribe(
   lambda x: print("From sub2 {0}".format(x))
)
test1 = of(1,2,3,4,5)
sub1 = test1.pipe(
   op.map(lambda a : a+random.random())
)
subscriber = sub1.subscribe(subject_test)

Output

E:pyrx>python testrx.py
From sub1 1.1789422863284509
From sub2 1.1789422863284509
From sub1 2.5525627903260153
From sub2 2.5525627903260153
From sub1 3.4191549324778325
From sub2 3.4191549324778325
From sub1 4.644042420199624
From sub2 4.644042420199624
From sub1 5.079896897489065
From sub2 5.079896897489065

If you see, the same value is shared between the subscribers. You can achieve the same using publish () connectable observable operator.