Not sure if this is a bug or working as intended.

But in preferences you can set the default scripting language for new nodes created which I have done and set to Python.

So many new nodes do get created with scripting set to Python.

But there are many nodes in which this doesn't happen, like a bend node or a shader node.

Also things like the scripting language for callback scripts initially get set up as H-script.

I've had it set to python for a while so Houdini has been closed and OS restarted a number of times.

Any thoughts on if this is “normal” and as should be or not?

I remember doing this too a few years ago, and it was nothing but trouble. If a node defaults to Hscript expressions, they aren't automatically translated/ported to their Python equivalent.

I would recommend leaving the default to Hscript, and setting specific nodes/parameters to Python as-needed. But maybe others have had better luck?

What I am saying is when I “lay” down the node for the first time, without any expressions yet put in.

So it's still better to have default expression set to Python. Just have to remember not all nodes/situations( like callbacks ) will be set to Python and to look out for that when writting an expression.

I haven't had any problems though when if I forget to check for H-script and went ahead with writting the expression and changing the tab to Python after the fact.