Advantages of Learning Python in Coding

Python has many advantages and benefits but how has this clever computer language grown so quickly through the coding popularity ranks? And why are many choosing to code in Python over all others? 

We take a look at what Python is, the range of benefits, advantages of learning this language, and just what has caused its incredible growth in popularity. 

What is Python?

Python is quite simply a programming language that lets you work quickly and integrate systems more effectively. 

Python was initially created in 1991 by Guido van Rossum as a way to write scripts that “automate the boring stuff”. Over time, it has transitioned as a leader in web development, infrastructure management, and the analysing of data. 

When it comes to web application creation and big data analytics, Python has been the popular choice of coding language. As Python can disparate code, it can be seen as a “glue code,” meaning that “in addition to connecting disparate software modules, it can be used to tie together multiple systems.” 

In 2012 the largest and most trusted online community for developers, Stack Overflow, saw questions related to Python account for less than 4% of all queries. 6 years on in 2018, over 10% of questions on the site are related to Python. Further to this, in 2020, GitHub found that 29.9% of all programming tutorials searched for on Google was for Python, outranking Java’s 19.1%  and JavaScript’s 8.2%, making Python the most popularly-searched coding language today.  

Fast forward to 2023, Python continues to be the most popular coding language according to the TOIBE Index.  

What's causing Python's incredible growth in popularity?

Python’s popularity continues to rise because not only it is flexible and easy to learn, it’s the type of programming language that speaks to people at any level of ability. It’s widely used and, more importantly, it can be utilised by experts and beginners alike, making it a coding dream. 

The beauty of Python lies in its simple programming structure and its ability to offer a whole array of advantages. It can be used for web development, data analysis, and writing scripts to automate simple tasks. 

With companies such as Google, Netflix, Instagram, Dropbox, Cisco, and NASA taking full advantage of Python, it’s clear to see how such a programming language could have gained its popularity. 

Advantages of Python

Python is easy to learn and put into practice

We’ve talked about its ease of use and the fact that both expert programmers – in any programming language – and ready-to-learn, eager coders can adapt and learn Python pretty quickly. One of its advantages is its clean syntax and indentation structure which make it simple to learn. 

Functions are defined

Defining functions plays a huge part in extensible programming and is a great advantage when using Python. As Python themselves put it, this versatile programming language allows mandatory and optional arguments, keyword arguments, and even arbitrary argument lists. 

Python allows for quick coding 

One of the biggest advantages and selling points about Python web programming is how timesaving it is to use when developing. Whatech.com highlights that “the code which takes three hours to write in Java takes just 30 minutes to write in Python” which is another reason we have seen a rise in popularity.  

Python is versatile

Simplicity and flexibility are at the forefront of this language's versatile mind. Straightforward syntax? Check. Use of indented spaces? Absolutely. In fact, it’s avid practitioners, known as Pythonistas, have uploaded 145,000 custom-built software packages to an online repository. “From game development to astronomy, these can be installed and inserted into a Python program in a matter of seconds.” 

Python understands compound data types

Lists – known as arrays in other languages – are one of the compound data types that Python really understands. Lists can be indexed, sliced and manipulated with other built-in functions. 

Libraries in data science have Python interfaces

The need for more experienced data analysis has indeed become one of the most rapidly developed areas of IT in today’s times, and Python takes centre stage when it comes to usage. Libraries used in data science have Python interfaces, making it the most popular interface used in machine learning.  

Python is widely supported

If you are seeking out a particular application or looking for a library with particular functionality, the Python website provides a Python Package Index, which is rather humorously known as the Cheese Shop, a reference to the Monty Python script of the very same name. 

Python has held first place on the TIOBE index in 2022 and 2023. Since TIOBE describes its index as “an indicator of the popularity of programming languages”, this is a pretty big deal. 

TIOBE also shows Python’s growing use in teaching, citing data that Python featured in 70% of introductory programming courses at US universities. 

Google itself has been taking advantage of python since it has improved in efficiency.. It now sits comfortably as one of Google’s official server-sides, nestled in amongst the stellar likes of C++, Java, and Go. 

In case you aren’t really sure about how important Python is to Google, Dutch computer scientist Guido van Rossum –  Python’s founder, BFF, and previous BDFL, Benevolent dictator for life – worked at Google between 2005 and 2012. Self-described as “Gawky and proud of it,” van Rossum stated: “The joy of coding Python should be in seeing short, concise, readable classes that express a lot of action in a small amount of clear code – not in reams of trivial code that bores the reader to death.” 

Next Steps to Learning Python

So, now that you know the ins and outs of the versatile, easy to implement, and the world’s top  programming language that is Python, why not take a look at our Python course? This course is suited to coders of all levels, it’s ready to take you from novice to Pythonista with the support of Learning People.  

 
Get in touch with our helpful career consultants to begin your  coding course and start utilising the benefits that come with understanding Python today.