Python is one of the fastest-growing programming languages and is becoming popular among developers, data scientists, and mathematicians. Its use is widespread as it is utilized for website and application development, software development, automating tasks, and conducting analysis. Being a general-purpose, object-oriented, and high-level programming language, Python is becoming one of today’s most important toolkits for developers.
Not only that, but it also comes from a humble beginning when Python was not so popular. But with time, according to Statista, it ranks as the third most used programming language worldwide as of 2024, after JavaScript and CSS.
This blog gives an answer to why is Python so popular, understanding the history of Python becoming a popular language, reasons of its popularity, and the famous brands using it as their web development language. Let’s get into it.
Python’s Story of Origin: Who Made Python & How it Grew Over the Years
Founded by a Dutch programmer, Guido Van Rossum, Python was first released on 21st February 1991. The founder’s purpose of creating Python was to create a tool that can reduce the complexity of anything when applied. However, with the passage of time, the vision for Python grew and it became more than it was for.
Rossum viewed Python as a big spectrum as he outlined it as an intuitive and easy-to-understand programming language but as powerful as its competitors, which gave it a competitive edge in the market. He also made it an open-source programming language so that developers or other experts can contribute; with its strong community and knowledge base it has become one of the fastest-growing languages.
Not only does it make syntax easy and understandable, but it is also a versatile language which makes it a popular choice among developers.
Here is a fun fact for you:
Python grew heavily in 2010 when Machine Learning and Big Data got attention from the market. The financial sectors of the big markets started working on machine learning and data to target trading opportunities. Tech giants like Google, Facebook, etc., took Python as their language to tap into AI. After its use by Google, circa 2015, it crossed R as a top language for machine learning.
How Long Has Python Been in Use?
Python was released in 1991 by Rossum, making it over 30 years old. It was designed to emphasize code readability and simplicity. Over the decades, the factors that have led to Python popularity include its versatility, ease of learning, and powerful libraries, becoming a go-to language for various applications like web development, data science, AI, and more.
Why is Python so Popular Among Developers? Know the Reasons
Since 2010, Python has become a popular choice for developers and experts for several reasons ranging from ease of learning and use, flexibility, and rich libraries, to active development, updates, and many more. Let’s take a look at each of them.
Ease of Learning and Use
Python is not only the top choice for the experts but also for beginners due to its ease of learning and use. It has a simple and readable syntax that makes it accessible and easy to learn for beginners. The focus of its founder when it was developed was code readability; which has been attained by the language and makes it a perfect choice for someone who wants to learn. As Python’s syntax closely follows natural language, it helps new programmers/developers understand the concepts more easily which is why it is free of a steep learning curve.
Versatility and Flexibility
If you ask developers or programmers for the best thing about a language, then it is always the versatility and flexibility it offers to the users. Python programming language offers versatility to the users as they can use it across various domains for web development using its frameworks like Django and Flask, data science with libraries such as Pandas and NumPy, automation with scripts, or game development with Pygame. Speaking of flexibility, it can easily integrate with other languages and technologies, making it a hassle-free choice for the developers.
Rich Ecosystem and Libraries
Another standout feature of Python is its rich ecosystem and libraries that are always available on tap for developers. It has an extensive library that covers various programming tasks ranging from file I/O systems to calls. In addition to that, it has a wide collection of third-party packages that developers can find through the Python Package Index (PyPI).
The names of popular Python libraries include TensorFlow (best for machine learning), BeautifulSoup (recommended for web scraping), and SciPay (known for scientific computing). The libraries are created for specialized tasks which make Python suitable and high performing.
Strong Community Support
Python has strong community support that makes it the top choice for programmers (whether experts or beginners). It has a large and active global community contributing to language development in terms of language documentation and knowledgebase. In addition to that, it also provides massive community support through forums, tutorials, and documentation. Having so offers two main benefits, i.e., the community keeps Python up to date as technology advances and maintains a pool of shared knowledge, problem-solving tips, and best practices.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Developers working in diverse environments prefer languages that have high cross-platform compatibility as it allows for easier deployment of applications across different systems. Python has a nature of cross-platform compatibility which means that the code written on one operating system can be run on others with minimal modifications.
Integration Capabilities
One of its strongest suites is that it can easily integrate with other languages, which offers a great advantage. It can call C/C++ libraries, interface with Java through Jython, and work with .NET through IronPython.
Read more here about Python vs Java
Support for Emerging Technologies
Another reason for Python being successful and popular as a programming language is that it is best for the emering technologies such as big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. It pushes the boundaries and helps in discovery of the new development trends.
Active Development and Updates
Python has its own foundation that is recognized as Python Software Foundation (PSF) that aims to serve the Python community. It offers downloads, documentation, community, success stories, and much more related to Python.
Top Companies That Use Python
Python has become a top choice for web development, machine learning, AI, and big data projects. For this very reason, tech giants and big companies like Facebook, Netflix, etc., started using it as their development language and have led to its increased popularity even more.
Here is a list of top companies that use Python as their language:
Why Should You Leverage Python Development Services?
Using Python for your web development services can offer several benefits especially if you want to create web solutions that are ahead of present. Here is why you should leverage Python development services:
- Accelerated Development
- Versatility and Integration
- Cost-Effectiveness
- Strong Community Support
- Scalability
- Futureproofing
The Future of Python
Seeing the current trends and emerging technologies, the future of Python looks strong and promising, especially in the sectors of artificial intelligence and data science. Its few of the strongest features i.e., simple syntax, flexibility, and extensive libraries will further solidify its role in software development among beginners and expert developers.
In addition to that, Python will become more capacitated, efficient, and enhanced in overall performance by addressing its current limitations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Python popularity growing rapidly?
Python offers a lot more flexibility and versatility to the clients as compared to other programming languages. It’s widely used in web development, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and data analysis, and has made it powerful and popular among beginners as well as expert developers.
Is Python widely used among programming languages?
Absolutely. Python stands as the 3rd most used programming language after JavaScript and C++. It has become one of the most used programming languages due to its readability, ease of learning, and applicability across various domains or sectors which has helped businesses and world-recognized organizations to achieve their goals.
Is Python a good choice for future projects?
As per expert Python developers, it is an excellent choice for future projects due ot its huge documentation, extensive library support adaptability, and relevancy in the fields of AI, ML, and data science. So, if you want to make future-ready solutions, then Python is the right choice.
