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Why You Should Consider Learning Python

2018-01-02by Charles Dearing

Python is quickly becoming the most popular programming languages for new and expert programmers alike. It’s little wonder that the language named after the infamous British comedy troupe Monty Python should become so beloved by the developer community. It’s optimized for programmer productivity, code readability, and software performance. Video games, AI systems, and web apps can all be programmed in the versatile, multi-paradigm language.

 

Python is a marriage of convenience and power. C++, by comparison, is an incredibly powerful programming language, one that’s often taught as a foundational programming language in computer science degree programs.

 

C++ is a popular choice for professors, experienced programmers, and hobbyists because of its object-oriented nature. Only a few decades ago, the idea of code reuse was not widely adopted. In the 1980s, there was an idea that programing large applications could be made easier if the code was somehow encapsulated into neat little objects. Instead of using 5000 lines of codes that dictates how a program should function under certain conditions, we can instead put these lines of code in an object and have that object have certain functionalities.

 

So, for example, instead of having to write out a program where you code in an employee with a bunch of data like name, birth date, social security, and salary, that has been coded and coded again, you can instead create an black box. This black box can be used by other programmers with no knowledge of the original code. They can change the name, birth date, and salary by invoking commands belonging to the employee object. It makes code reuse a much simpler prospect.

 

While C++ can be cumbersome to learn, the fact that it is a object-oriented language makes it still relevant today, Python, while also applied to scripting roles, has object oriented properties as well.

 

Programmers fluent in C++ can program weapons systems, create video game engines from scratch, or create their own complex file systems. C++, however, requires you to follow a rigid set of rules, and to perform memory allocation and cleanup yourself. Dangling pointers and stack overflow are often big hurdles to learning to code efficiently and effectively in C++.

 

Python, on the other hand, is much more flexible. Python developers enjoy a syntax that is surprisingly smooth, lacking the rigid rules of powerful object-oriented programming languages like C++ and Java. The syntax is closer to natural English sentences. You’ll still be bound to mathematical language and the language of logic, but the wording will seem much more natural.

 

In addition, as mentioned earlier, Python is a general-purpose programming language. So while it is often described as a scripting language because of some of its capabilities, this is not strictly accurate. Python is better defined as a multi-paradigm language because it absorbs so much of the functionalities of different programming language frameworks. It would not be unfair to call Python an object-oriented scripting language, but this title still does not fully encapsulate all that Python can do. Python is also a functional, procedural, imperative, and reflective language, which can be incredibly useful for certain applications. Other general purpose programming languages you may be familiar with are Ruby, Lua, and Lisp.

 

This versatility makes Python a wonderful language to begin learning the logic and rules of programming. Python can be used for systems programming, tooling around with OSes, building GUIs, Internet scripting, component integration, database programming, rapid prototyping, scientific programming, data mining, excel projects, and much, much more. Wherever your interests lie, you are bound to find Python applicable. Its open-source nature makes it easy to get started with any number of projects.

 

Learning to program can be an immensely enriching and rewarding endeavor. Whatever  your reason for picking up a programming language or dabbling in development, Python remains an exceptionally good prospect as both a tool for learning and creative coding. By learning Python, you’ll have access to a large development community. What’s more: you’ll learn how to a manipulate a powerful, easy-to-use language for a variety of projects.

 

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Author

Charles Dearing

Charles Dearing is a veteran tech and marketing journalist with over 15 years of experience using words to move people to act. He has written for various publications such as ProBlogger, Big Think, Apps World, to name a few. You may connect with him on Twitter.

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