Programming languages used to be only for web developers, software developers, data scientists, DevOps engineers, and other experts with coding knowledge.
Python changed that, enabling non-programmers to use the language for various purposes, including organizing finances and completing everyday tasks like converting files and filling out online forms.
Its regular feature updates to improve readability and versatility make it more beginner-friendly than other programming languages. Before diving into its most valuable features, let’s define it and explore the reasons behind its widespread adoption.
What is Python?
Python is a programming language for web development, software development, system scripting (task automation), software testing and prototyping, mathematics, data mining, data analysis, machine learning, data visualization, etc.
Dutch programmer Guido van Rossum created it in the late 1980s as a language that could interact with his OS and enable him to develop system utilities. He released it as free software in 1991 after recognizing it could have broader use and help programmers be more productive.
Why is Python the most prominent programming language?
Python is the most prominent programming language because it is:
- Open-source – It’s available to the public; anyone can download, install, use, and distribute it for free, even commercial users.
- General-purpose – You can use Python to create programs for various purposes, like with Java, C, and PHP.
- Interpreted – You don’t need to compile and build Python code because an interpreter converts it into a language your computer processor understands. Turning it into bytecode enables executing the source code as you write it and streamlines debugging.
- Object-oriented – OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) lets you create individual objects’ properties and behaviors in a bundle to structure a program. However, it also supports procedural programming focusing on logic and functions.
- Dynamically-typed – You don’t have to specify variable types because the interpreter does it during runtime.
- High-level – Python’s syntax is similar to English; you can easily read and understand it. That makes it beginner-friendly, letting you write fewer lines and accelerate project building and improvement without remembering its architecture. Indentations instead of semicolons and brackets further simplify the process.
Top 5 Python features every developer should leverage
Python has many valuable features, but you might benefit most from the following.
Python packages
Python has over 200,000 packages on the PyPI (Python Package Index). They include modules – files containing various statements and definitions for including functions, classes, and variables in a program. Uploading them to an app lets you break its tasks into smaller files for better management.
For instance, you can use the NumPy package for scientific computing and machine learning, Pendulum for DateTime manipulation, Pillow for image processing, and MoviePy for video editing.
Python frameworks
Frameworks in Python contain packages and modules for seamless development. They enable programmers to manage threads, protocols, and sockets when creating web apps or services focusing on data science, AI, and machine learning.
You can use full-stack, non-full-stack, and micro-frameworks, depending on your project and customization needs, among other factors. The most prevalent include Django, TurboGears, Web2py, Bottle, CherryPy, and Flask.
Python Requests library
Python’s Standard Library contains built-in modules in the C programming language, helping you access system functionality and streamline programming.
You can use over 137,000 libraries to develop apps for data science, data visualization, machine learning, and other fields. One of them is the Python Requests library.
The Python Requests library simplifies HTTP requests, providing an API to execute GET, POST, DELETE, PUT, OPTIONS, and HEAD HTTP operations without adding query strings to URLs. It returns a Response Object with status, content, encoding, and other data.
This HTTP library is ideal for managing requests and responses, whether you engage in web scraping or interact with a REST API.
Version control system
Python’s version control system is excellent for tracking file changes. It records your entire development history, enabling you to view all software code modifications and compare different versions.
That’s ideal when collaborating with other developers since everyone can see a detailed file history and make informed decisions.
The system has many version control tools, such as Git, DVC, Mercurial, Codeville, Bazaar, and Apache Subversion.
Python GUI programming
A Python GUI lets you build mobile apps, games, and HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces), simplifying UI development.
You can use many GUI frameworks (cross-browser, cross-platform, and platform-specific), packages, design tools, and IDEs (Integrated Development Environments). Most developers prefer the standard Tkinter for simple interfaces and PyQT for their complex, multi-dimensional counterparts.
Conclusion
Python is the most beginner-friendly programming language, helping developers streamline projects and allowing non-programmers to use it for everyday tasks. Its libraries and modules keep growing, expanding its capabilities and versatility.
It has an extensive community contributing to its architecture and providing support to fellow coders. Millions of developers worldwide interact on the platform and can help you find a solution to any problem.