Python programming language is so versatile that you can use it on the backend, front end, or full stack of a web application.
Guido van Rossum created it in the late 1980s as a hobby project to keep him occupied during the Christmas holidays. Since then, it has grown into a fully-fledged programming language with an active community of developers and a rich ecosystem of libraries and tools.
People praise Python for its ease of use and readability. You can compare it to other types of programming languages such as Ruby and JavaScript. Unlike some languages which are designed with only one purpose in mind, Python is versatile and can be used for building a wide variety of applications.
Some popular applications written in Python include Instagram, Pinterest, and Reddit. Many large companies such as Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon use it.
If you’re just starting with programming, Python is a great language to learn due to its simplicity and readability. Even experienced programmers find Python to be an enjoyable language to work with.
Why Choose Python as a Programming Language?
Python is an interpreted, high-level, general-purpose programming language. Created on December 3, 1989, by Guido van Rossum, with a design philosophy entitled “There’s only one way to do it, and that’s why it works”, Python has a syntax that allows developers to express concepts in fewer lines of code than would be possible in languages such as C++ or Java. Python 3.0, released on December 3, 2008, was the first major release of the language to be completely backward-incompatible with earlier versions.
Features of Python
Python is a versatile language that you can use for building various applications, from simple scripts to complex machine-learning algorithms. In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the key features that make Python an attractive choice for developers.
One of the most important features of Python is its ease of use. The pioneer designed Python syntax to be readable and concise, making it easy to learn for beginners. And even if you’re already familiar with other programming languages, you’ll find that Python code is often much shorter. It is also simpler than equivalent code in other languages. This can save you a lot of time and effort when writing programs.
Another key feature of Python is its support for multiple programming paradigms. Unlike many other languages primarily designed for either procedural or object-oriented programming, Python makes it easy to use both approaches in your code. This flexibility can be useful when working on large projects where different parts of the code may benefit from different approaches.
Finally, Python comes with a huge standard library. It includes modules for everything from string manipulation to networking to web development. This means you can start developing your applications without installing any third-party libraries. And if you need something that’s not in the standard library, there’s a good chance someone has already written a library that you can use.
Types of Applications Developed in Python
Many types of applications can be developed in Python:
Web Applications:
You can use Python to develop web applications. The Django framework is a popular choice for developing web applications in Python. Django is a batteries-included framework that makes it easy to create high-quality web applications. Other popular web frameworks include Flask and Bottle.
Desktop Applications:
Python can also be used to develop desktop applications. The Qt framework is a popular choice for developing desktop applications in Python. Qt provides a comprehensive set of tools for creating high-quality desktop applications. Other popular GUI frameworks include wxPython and PyGTK.
Network Applications:
Python can also be used to develop network applications. The Twisted framework is a popular choice for developing network applications in Python. Twisted is an event-driven networking engine written in Python that makes it easy to create custom network protocols. Other popular networking libraries include paramiko and pysnmp.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Python
Python is a versatile language that you can use for building all sorts of applications. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of using Python?
Advantages:
- Python is easy to learn and use. It has a simple syntax that is easy to read and understand. You can also find a lot of resources online that can help you learn Python.
- Python is versatile. You can use it for building all sorts of applications, from simple scripts to complex web applications.
- Python is open source. This means that there is a large community of developers who are constantly improving the language and adding new features.
- Python has a large standard library that includes everything you need for common programming tasks. This means you don’t have to waste time writing your own code for basic tasks.
- Python runs on all major operating systems. So you can develop applications for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X with ease.
Disadvantages:
1) Speed: Python is slower than languages like C or C++ because it is interpreted instead of being compiled into machine code before being run. This makes it less suited for computationally intensive tasks or tasks that need to be completed in real-time (like video games).
2) Threading: The Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) in CPython prevents multiple threads from running at the same time which limits the potential speed gains from using multiple threads.
3) Runtime Errors: Python is an interpreted language and errors can be difficult to debug since the code is not compiled before it is run. This can lead to hard-to-find bugs that might not appear until the program is already in production.
Conclusion
Python programming language, a popular choice for various applications, offers power, flexibility, and user-friendliness. Its simplicity, readability, and versatility suit both beginners and experienced programmers. Python equips you with the necessary tools and resources for web development, data analysis, or AI application creation. Ideal for all levels of programming.