XlsxWriter vs openpyxl: What are the differences?

XlsxWriter and openpyxl are two popular libraries used for working with Excel files in Python. Here are the key differences between them:

1. API Design: XlsxWriter provides a simpler and more straightforward API design, making it easier to use for basic Excel operations. Openpyxl, on the other hand, has a more complex API design that allows for more advanced manipulations of Excel files.

2. Performance: In terms of performance, XlsxWriter generally offers faster write speeds compared to openpyxl. This makes it a preferred choice when dealing with large datasets or generating Excel files with many rows or columns.

3. Compatibility: Openpyxl supports the newer .xlsx file format used in Microsoft Excel, as well as the older .xls format. XlsxWriter, on the other hand, only supports the newer .xlsx format. This should be considered when working with Excel files in different versions of Excel or when compatibility with older Excel versions is required.

4. Features: Openpyxl offers more advanced features such as data validation, conditional formatting, and chart creation, while XlsxWriter focuses more on the core functionality of reading and writing data to Excel files.

5. Documentation and Community Support: Openpyxl has extensive documentation and a larger community of users, which means there are more online resources and community support available. XlsxWriter also has good documentation, but its community may be relatively smaller.

In summary, XlsxWriter is a lightweight and easy-to-use library suitable for basic Excel operations and scenarios where performance is crucial. Openpyxl, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive feature set and greater flexibility for advanced Excel manipulations, but it may come with a slightly steeper learning curve.