What is Python Programming Language?

Introduction to Python

Python is a high-level, general-purpose programming language with an elegant syntax that allows programmers to focus more on problem-solving than on syntax errors. One of the primary goals of Python Developers is to keep it fun to use. Python has become a big buzz in the field of modern software development, infrastructure management, and especially in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. Most recently, Python has risen to the top 3 list of TIOBE index of language popularity.

Python is becoming increasingly universal, but you must be wondering why Python has become such a hot topic in the developers’ world.

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Why Learn Python?

Python is a popular programming language that is being used for many applications. Learning Python can be advantageous in many ways. We will explain why you need to learn Python in this section.

• Python skills are important to get a job in the IT industry. From a developer, software engineer, tester to data scientist, machine learning specialist; almost every IT job needs a programming language and Python is a remarkable choice. Anyone with knowledge in Python coding can easily land in their dream jobs. Learning Python is like the initial step towards your career.
• As we already mentioned, It is being used in many fields which means the demand for Python programmers is relatively high.
• According to Payscale, the average salary for a professional with Python skills is $93k per annum. This represents that Python offers high-paid jobs if you have experience in Python.

Python History

Python was initially founded in the late 1990s by Guido van Rossum. He decided to create a language in 1989. He wanted to build a programming language that could resolve the issues the programmers were facing at that time. Within 5 years, he released the first version of the Python programming language which not only solves many flaws but he made it with easily readable syntax. Guido van Rossum has named this programming language “Python” in honor of his favorite comedian “The Pythons” in the “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” show.

Although it did not get popular at first after Google announced that it has used Python for its internal development programming, it started getting in-demand. This was a turning point for the Python programming language.

Thereafter, many programmers, developers started using Python as their primary programming language which eventually became the best programming language for any Machine Learning algorithms, Data Science projects, and many more. Today, It is one of the most widely used programming languages for any IT application.

Why choose Python over any other languages?

Popularity over the years (2004–2017):

When compared to any other high-level programming languages such as C++ and Java, it requires the programmer to develop lesser codes. Python is designed to be simple and easy to read and write.

Python can be utilized for a wide range of applications such as scripting, developing, and testing. Because of its elegance and simplicity, Dropbox, Google, Quora, Hewlett-Packard, and so many other top tech companies have already implemented Python.

With the growing trend of Data Science and Machine Learning, Python has equally become one of the most important scripting languages in the 21st century, because of its wide range of libraries and frameworks.

Features of Python

Some of the common features of the Python programming language are:

1. User-Friendly and Readable Language :Python stands out for its simplicity and ease of learning. Its straightforward syntax and minimal learning curve make it an ideal choice for beginners in the coding world. Many educational institutions, from schools to colleges, have adopted Python as the go-to language for budding programmers.
2. Interpreted Language : Python is an interpreted language, meaning that it doesn’t require a separate compilation step to run the code. It comes bundled with an Interactive Development Environment (IDLE), following the Read-Evaluate-Print Loop (REPL) structure, similar to Node.js. This allows code to be executed line by line, providing instant feedback and error reporting.
3. Dynamic Typing : In Python, you don’t need to explicitly declare variable data types. Instead, the Python interpreter dynamically determines variable types during runtime based on the data involved. This feature, known as duck typing, simplifies coding but requires careful attention to prevent runtime errors.
4. Open Source and Cost-Free : Python is an open-source language available for free from its official website. The open-source community continuously contributes to Python’s improvement, making it accessible to everyone.
5. Extensive Standard Library : Python’s extensive standard library is a standout feature, offering a wide range of packages and modules with essential functionalities. Modules like itertools, functools, and operator simplify common programming tasks. This reduces the need for developers to create functionality from scratch, saving time and effort.
6. High-Level Language: Python is a high-level language that closely resembles human language and abstracts away low-level computer details. Unlike lower-level languages such as C, Python doesn’t require knowledge of system architecture or manual memory management.
7. Object-Oriented Language : Python supports multiple programming paradigms, including object-oriented programming. This approach enables the use of important concepts like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, facilitating real-world problem-solving.
8. GUI (Graphical User Interface) Support :Python facilitates the creation of GUIs using libraries like Tkinter, PyQt, wxPython, or Pyside. It supports various GUI frameworks, making it versatile for building graphical interfaces. Python is adaptable to platform-specific technologies, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Characteristics of Python Programming

Some of the characteristics of Python programming which make it a popular language are:

• There’s a rich collection of Python Data Types.
• Python is a platform-independent scripted language that comes with features to have complete access to operating system APIs.
• When compared with other programming languages, Python provides more run-time flexibility.
• The basic text manipulation facilities of Awk and Perl are also included in Python.
• There is a Python Module where you can have more than one class and free function.
• Libraries available in Python are cross-platform compatible and can run on platforms such as Windows, Linux, or macOS.
• Python can be easily compiled to byte-code; that’s the reason it is most suitable for building large applications.
• Python also provides features to support functional and structured programming, as well as OOP concepts.
• Python supports an interactive mode that allows interactive testing and debugging for snippets of code.
• In Python, there is no editing, debugging, testing, and compilation steps, so it is very fast.

Applications of Python

Python can be used to develop a variety of applications like:

• Web Applications: Python boasts a variety of web development frameworks, including Django, Pyramid, Flask, and more. These frameworks, along with extensive libraries, simplify and streamline web application development.
• Software Prototypes: Python shines in crafting prototypes, conducting tests, and building debugging tools.
• Scientific and Numeric Computing: Python, with packages like Pandas and Numpy, enables efficient scientific and numeric computations.
• Network Programming: Python facilitates the automation of complex network configurations through scripting, and it stands as the most widely adopted language for software-defined networking.
• Games and 3D Applications: Python is a reputable choice for crafting straightforward 3D games using tools like Pygame, making it valuable for prototyping.

Advantages of Python

Here are some advantages of this Python programming language:

• Python is a high-level programming language with a syntax that is similar to English, making it an easy choice for beginners to understand and learn.
• Python is free and open so that anyone can download and use it right away.
• As the code is simple, the productivity is comparatively higher than other programming languages.
• Python is a system-independent programming language which means you do not need to change your code when using it on different platforms.
• Whenever there is an error, Python halts the coding until the error is resolved. This helps in creating error-free code.
• With numerous Python packages in its vast library helps the users to work on various applications with ease.

Disadvantages of Python

The disadvantages of using Python are mentioned below:

• Python’s structures need additional memory.
• The execution process is relatively slower
• It can lead to run-time errors sometimes.
• It is not the best choice when interacting with databases.
• The processing power of Python is slow compared to other languages.

Once you are done with this tutorial, you can check out the list of Python Coding Interview Questions prepared by the experts, which will help you crack any Python interview. And if you are interested in doing an end-to-end Python Certification Course, Intellipaat has curated just the right course, so that you gain all of the requisite skills in Python programming.