Python may be around 30 years old, but it has been climbing the ranks of the most popular programming languages on Stackoverflow and GitHub for some time. That's right.
The programming language commonly associated with a snake is more popular than ever, despite its age. Below we outline some of the main reasons why you should learn Python.
Automate simple tasks
With the emergence of new application fields such as data science and machine learning, Python is on the rise again. Even during the first heyday in the 1990s, writing scripts was the classic use case for the language. Today it is one of the most used languages for daily automations.
Python: Quick start and simple syntax
Python's syntax is similar to that of the English language, making the programming language relatively easy to learn even for coding novices. Indentations inherent to the syntax also make Python code concise and therefore easy to read. With some basic knowledge, you can do quite a few things with it. Those who already master other programming languages will be able to acquire skill relatively quickly. You can find a Master at our school (link to the phyton master).
data science
Actually, one of the most important reasons why you should learn Python is for its application to data science. Data scientists are in demand, well paid, and work on super interesting projects. Data visualization, predictive modeling, programming skills. The professional field is very diverse and especially interesting for scientists with statistical knowledge.
Machine learning
The field of machine learning has been growing rapidly for a few years now and Python is the go-to programming language for writing algorithms for artificial intelligence.
Resources
Python has a complete standard library and many other libraries. Because of the large user base and the language having been around for so long, there are plenty of resources you can turn to to solve your coding problems (over 125,000 external libraries). For example, NumPy for data science, Tensorflow for machine learning, or PyGame for game development. Also in web development, the language now plays an important role and represents the backend of some of the most used applications such as Youtube, Instagram or Reddit.
Community
The large community is another reason why you should use Python. Python is open source, meaning you can theoretically access anything related to the language. The large and vibrant user base means there will be a forum for almost any question you may have and someone to help you.
Python is great for scripting
Yes, Python is more than a programming language: it can also be used to make scripts! Scripting languages are distinguished from programming languages by the fact that they do not require compilation; are interpreted directly. Python script allows you to write code and run it directly. Your code will be read by the machine, and will also be interpreted and checked for errors at runtime. You can use the code multiple times if it is error-free. Python has been named the best programming and scripting language by The Linux Journal.
Popularity and use around the world
Python is the most popular programming language due to its wide adoption around the world as well as its large number of free libraries, modules, codes and programs. The Python programming language is free and open source, and has been open source for over 20 years. Its author is the Python Software Foundation License, an organization that allows you to modify the code and create derivative projects.
Python has solid documentation
Most of the time you will find very good references and documentation on the modules you need to use (although not all the time, I should warn). The best thing is that Python has a very large set of modules that practically allow you to do almost anything you can imagine with the language.
Rapid development
All the above points are proof that you can get an app prototype done quickly. With a framework like Flask, some plugins to deal with a user authentication system and database connectivity, and a quick launch on Heroku, you can see results quickly. In an environment where you want to try new things and see what sticks, that's a big plus.
