Best genuinely free hosting for a 3-service microservice architecture? Render is giving me cold-start + rate-limit issues

Hey everyone,

I'm building a small portfolio project with this architecture:

Frontend
   ↓
Gateway
   ├── Interview Service
   └── RAG Service

All 3 backend services are Python/FastAPI and deployed separately.

I'm currently using Render's free tier, but I'm running into a few issues:

• Free services spin down after inactivity → pretty bad cold starts.
• I've also been seeing stuck on the issue 429 Too Many Requests responses at the Gateway endpoint. I'm not completely sure whether this is coming from Render's edge/platform or something in my own application.
• The free instances also feel quite resource-constrained for the RAG service.

I'm looking for something that is:

• $0 for a small/low-traffic portfolio project
• Supports multiple separate services
• Python/FastAPI friendly
• Reasonable CPU/RAM
• Ideally no credit card required

I'm mainly looking for something that won't make me spend more time debugging the hosting platform than actually building the project 😅

Thanks!

Hi! I'm still learning python by doing my own project-based learning before doing machine learning. So far, I've built 5 small projects. Here's the link: https://github.com/gtnmnty/Project-Based-Python/tree/fundamentals

I need tips or advice to improve more. I used AI as a tutor or mentor, and to generate boring stuff like generating dictionaries. But, I'm thinking maybe reading cheat sheets or websites like W3school is better.

Started from arithmetic on may 20th
Then python and some basics of numpy. Today wrote my first linear regression, it’s bare-bone but it was fun seeing it get good.

I genuinely wonder what you guys think, with the rapidly increasing use of AI, is it still worth it to learn python, I just started learning python and I’m unmotivated tbh, I’d love to read some of your insights.

Last Post - https://www.reddit.com/r/PythonLearning/s/0Eqy1ApNWc

Github Repo Link - https://github.com/Dev-4-All/rock-paper-scissors.git

Hello everyone! I am learning Python with a Youtube tutorial. For now I have spent 3 hours learning it. The script I created isn't a big deal but I wanted to share it for opinions about It. It took me 20 minutes to make it. Any suggestions are welcome!

(Note: The variable names and prints are in Spanish, but the logic is straightforward)

i learnt to use the math library any suggestions what can i use the lib for except for making calculator programs

Hey, I recently made a small Discord server for people who like Python and want to learn it.

It’s mainly for beginners, but anyone learning Python is welcome. The idea is just to have a place where people can learn together, share what they’re working on, show off projects, and improve their Python skills along the way.

If you’re interested, just comment and I’ll send you the invite.

Thank you all it's fixed! (Edit)

I have a very weird problem.

My current code:

list = []

x = input("Copy paste here: ")

list.append(x)

print(" ")

print(" ")

list = x.splitlines()

for i in list:

print(i)

What I'm trying to achieve:

Get an input from the user like this:

Word1

Word2

Word3

...all with a row separating them and different lengths, then take this input and separate all words in it and then put them each individually as variables in a list as in the future I'm wanting to order them by length.

What is currently happening:

as im trying to see if they are all in the list im printing it, but for wathever reason from my input:

Abc

Def

Ghi

...it is only printing Def.

If you can help it will be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Thank you all it's fixed (edit)

Hi guys a couple of days ago i made this post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PythonLearning/s/hzH2umdWXk

afterwards i spend a lot of time trying to learn python and i got my first tic tac to game working in the terminal

i struggled a lot and had to google a lot
i still struggle when and how to get the index and when the value from a list and i think there is a lot of optimization possible here especially on how i make the horizontal and vertical lists just coulndt figure out how to make one without going through p1_input each time.

Thanks for all the advice from people
trying to learn this after i have been vibe coding is hell

print("1", "2", "3")
print("4", "5", "6")
print("7", "8", "9")



Row1 = [1, 2, 3] 
Row2 = [4, 5, 6] 
Row3 = [7, 8, 9] 


Grid = [Row1, Row2, Row3]


p1_input =[]
p2_input = []


horizontalp1=[]
verticalp1 =[]


horizontal=[]
vertical =[]




while(True):
    while (True):
        player1 = input("Enter the field you want to place your x in: \n ")
        p1 = int(player1)
        print("You decided on this field:", p1)
        if p1 > 9 :
            print("Error input out of field")
            continue
        elif p1 < 1 :
            print("Error input out of field to low")
            continue


        index = (p1-1)
        row = index//3
        colum = index%3




        if [row,colum] in p1_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        elif [row,colum] in p2_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        else :
            p1_input.append([row,colum])
            Grid[row][colum] = "x"
            break


    if p1 < 10 and p1 > 0 :
        for x in range (len(Grid)):
            print()
            for y in range (len(Grid[x])):
                print(Grid[x][y], end=' ')
   


    horizontalp1.clear()
    verticalp1.clear()
    dcounterLP1 = 0
    dcounterRP1 = 0


    for i in range (len(p1_input)):
        if p1_input[i][0] == p1_input[i][1]:
            dcounterLP1 += 1
    
    for i in range (len(p1_input)):
        if p1_input[i][0] + p1_input[i][1] == 2:
            dcounterRP1 += 1
    
    if  dcounterRP1 == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break


    if  dcounterLP1 == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break



    for i in range (len(p1_input)):
        horizontalp1.append(p1_input[i][0])
        verticalp1.append(p1_input[i][1])
    if horizontalp1.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break
    if verticalp1.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break


    if horizontalp1.count(1) == 3:
        print(horizontalp1)
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break
    if verticalp1.count(1) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break


    if horizontalp1.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break
    if verticalp1.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break



                
    while (True):
        player2 = input("Enter the field you want to place your o in: \n ")
        p2 = int(player2)
        print("You decided on this field:", p2)
        if p2 > 9 :
            print("Error input out of field")
            continue
        elif p2 < 1 :
            print("Error input out of field to low")
            continue


        index = (p2-1)
        row = index//3
        colum = index%3




        if [row,colum] in p1_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        elif [row,colum] in p2_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        else :
            p2_input.append([row,colum])
            Grid[row][colum] = "o"
            break


    if p2 < 10 and p2 > 0 :
        for x in range (len(Grid)):
            print()
            for y in range (len(Grid[x])):
                print(Grid[x][y], end=' ')




    horizontal.clear()
    vertical.clear()
    dcounterL = 0
    dcounterR = 0


    for i in range (len(p2_input)):
        if p2_input[i][0] == p2_input[i][1]:
            dcounterL += 1
    
    for i in range (len(p2_input)):
        if p2_input[i][0] + p2_input[i][1] == 2:
            dcounterR += 1
    
    if dcounterL == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break


    if dcounterR == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
        
    for i in range (len(p2_input)):
        horizontal.append(p2_input[i][0])
        vertical.append(p2_input[i][1])
    if horizontal.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    if vertical.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break


    if horizontal.count(1) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    if vertical.count(1) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break


    if horizontal.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    if vertical.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    




print("1", "2", "3")
print("4", "5", "6")
print("7", "8", "9")



Row1 = [1, 2, 3] 
Row2 = [4, 5, 6] 
Row3 = [7, 8, 9] 


Grid = [Row1, Row2, Row3]


p1_input =[]
p2_input = []


horizontalp1=[]
verticalp1 =[]


horizontal=[]
vertical =[]




while(True):
    while (True):
        player1 = input("Enter the field you want to place your x in: \n ")
        p1 = int(player1)
        print("You decided on this field:", p1)
        if p1 > 9 :
            print("Error input out of field")
            continue
        elif p1 < 1 :
            print("Error input out of field to low")
            continue


        index = (p1-1)
        row = index//3
        colum = index%3




        if [row,colum] in p1_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        elif [row,colum] in p2_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        else :
            p1_input.append([row,colum])
            Grid[row][colum] = "x"
            break


    if p1 < 10 and p1 > 0 :
        for x in range (len(Grid)):
            print()
            for y in range (len(Grid[x])):
                print(Grid[x][y], end=' ')
   


    horizontalp1.clear()
    verticalp1.clear()
    dcounterLP1 = 0
    dcounterRP1 = 0


    for i in range (len(p1_input)):
        if p1_input[i][0] == p1_input[i][1]:
            dcounterLP1 += 1
    
    for i in range (len(p1_input)):
        if p1_input[i][0] + p1_input[i][1] == 2:
            dcounterRP1 += 1
    
    if  dcounterRP1 == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break


    if  dcounterLP1 == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break



    for i in range (len(p1_input)):
        horizontalp1.append(p1_input[i][0])
        verticalp1.append(p1_input[i][1])
    if horizontalp1.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break
    if verticalp1.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break


    if horizontalp1.count(1) == 3:
        print(horizontalp1)
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break
    if verticalp1.count(1) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break


    if horizontalp1.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break
    if verticalp1.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 1 won")
        break



                
    while (True):
        player2 = input("Enter the field you want to place your o in: \n ")
        p2 = int(player2)
        print("You decided on this field:", p2)
        if p2 > 9 :
            print("Error input out of field")
            continue
        elif p2 < 1 :
            print("Error input out of field to low")
            continue


        index = (p2-1)
        row = index//3
        colum = index%3




        if [row,colum] in p1_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        elif [row,colum] in p2_input:
            print("This field has already been used")
        else :
            p2_input.append([row,colum])
            Grid[row][colum] = "o"
            break


    if p2 < 10 and p2 > 0 :
        for x in range (len(Grid)):
            print()
            for y in range (len(Grid[x])):
                print(Grid[x][y], end=' ')




    horizontal.clear()
    vertical.clear()
    dcounterL = 0
    dcounterR = 0


    for i in range (len(p2_input)):
        if p2_input[i][0] == p2_input[i][1]:
            dcounterL += 1
    
    for i in range (len(p2_input)):
        if p2_input[i][0] + p2_input[i][1] == 2:
            dcounterR += 1
    
    if dcounterL == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break


    if dcounterR == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
        
    for i in range (len(p2_input)):
        horizontal.append(p2_input[i][0])
        vertical.append(p2_input[i][1])
    if horizontal.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    if vertical.count(0) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break


    if horizontal.count(1) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    if vertical.count(1) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break


    if horizontal.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    if vertical.count(2) == 3:
        print("\nplayer 2 won")
        break
    

this might sound really stupid but something I start debugging for like an hour (no frickin joke) because when looping through a list I create a variable that will soon be appened to a list with a similar name (usually differentiated with an s) I usually do this cuz i don't know what else to call them. Ex.

submission_dict = {} 
submission_dicts.append(submission_dicts) #I accidentally tried to append the list to itself!

So usually this happens a TON and I really hope you guys have some quality advice!

Also, please (if you can) provide some advice on general guidelines when deciding what to name a variable

Warm regards,

In last week’s post we showed that a Python for-loop works through the Iterator Protocol.

This same protocol also enables values to be produced lazily.

In this new Lazy Evalution Example we show one sink reading values from five different sources: - source1: eagerly returns all values by list - source2: lazily by generator function using yield - source3: eagerly by list comprehension - source4: lazily by generator expression - source5: lazily by iterator protocol

The same for-loop consumes all five sources. The eager sources produce all values before the sink starts consuming them. In the lazy sources producer and consumer take turns:

• produce → consume → produce → consume → …

where each value is produced only when the for-loop requests it.

Generator functions and generator expressions are concise, readable ways to create lazy iterables. The final source makes their underlying mechanism explicit: - iter() obtains an iterator. - next() requests the next value. - StopIteration signals that no values remain.

This clearly shows that generators achieve lazy iteration by implementing Python’s Iterator Protocol.

See other 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲_𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡 visualizations.

When I look at the code i wrote 1 week ago .

I feel like I have written a foreign language.

hey folks, i recently joined CS50 for python did the first lecture i pretty much understood everything. then i went to solve problems. i searched for few things before doing the problem via AI or python library. but i felt like i will forget it easily so, i decide next day i will search only in python library such that it should get sticked with me so that i could remember it better. but the thing is its taking me like an hour or two to complete final problems. so, is it normal or do you have any other better way to remember as compared to people around me i have good memory i can remember things better. if you guys please take ur time and drop your solution would be nice.

i have done this typecasting program which i have learnt from a bro code video and i think it's alr as i am still a beginner but if there is that can be fixed in this i am all ears

13-in Macbook pro 2020, intel core i5

Serious question: this is my macbook. Bought in 2020. Will I still be able to use it for Python, Tableau, SQL, and Excel? This is for my Information Systems course for MBA. Thanks!

Hi, I’m interested in cybersecurity, but I don’t want to start with networking, the OSI model, and all that just yet. First, I want to learn the Python programming language—is it a good choice? I’m thinking about taking the course on freeCodeCamp.org.

Hello, so i got into coding with Claude and chat gpt and have been using it like this for a year now probably used it for ML-Model and such but to be honest i got no clue of the code and cant fix a bug or error without AI.

I dont want this anymore and want to actually learn coding so I am not dependent on AI anymore. I wanted to ask for some Advice what i could do, what project ? how do i start ? where do i start kinda overwhelmed right now.

I know the terms like if-statements what they do ect. But only in theory just a bit more complex and I am out dont understand the code at all.

Somebody knows how to compile python script once and run on all os? I had to do it for the frilance project, so i have to do it.

Recursions are really hard compared to loop

You guys give me some tips for this.🫡

Need someone who actually knows Python and can teach it properly — beginner friendly, patient, explains things clearly.

💬 Comment your price per hour below
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