9 Reasons Why You Should Learn Python

Python is a high-level programming language used for general-purpose software engineering. It’s a server-side language, meaning it runs on the server and is responsible for processing the logic behind user inputs, interacting with databases and other servers. It is generally considered easy to read, write and learn, and is also highly scalable.

Python is an open-source language and has increased in popularity over the last several years due to its use in data science. But it’s certainly not the new kid in town. Python has been around awhile, alongside other server-side languages like Java and C. Named after the popular British comedy troupe Monty Python, it was initially developed in the 1980s by Guido Van Rossum, who modeled it after the English language, eliminating unnecessary syntax to make it easier to read and write compared with other programming languages. 

If you are an experienced programmer or have some knowledge of a programming language like Ruby, C#, Java or JavaScript, there are many good reasons to learn Python, which could be a powerful addition to your programming toolbox. 

Experienced developers considering careers in data science or machine learning may want to consider learning Python because it’s quickly becoming one of the most used programming languages in those areas, and there are powerful frameworks and libraries available for them.

Why is Python used for machine learning? Several good reasons include:

As indicated by its No. 3 ranking on the TIOBE Index, an indicator of a programming language’s popularity based on the quantity of search queries across 25 search engines, Python is growing fast and surpassed only by C and Java in popularity. And TIOBE has named Python its Programming Language of the Year 3 times in the last 4 years.  

Due to its ease of reading and writing, Stack Overflow named Python the Most Wanted Programming Language in its 2020 Developer Survey.

Python users give it high praise for consistency and simplicity, which contributes to something they describe as “approachability.” The programming language is easier to read, write and learn than many others because it was built with the goal of throwing out complexity and keeping only what’s necessary. 

New programmers may feel like it can be discouraging for them to sift through all the necessary syntax of other languages before performing their first simple task. Python’s efficient syntax allows programmers to get started quickly and pack logic into compact scripts.

Some programmers praise Python’s beginner-friendly characteristics, saying that it doesn’t take nearly as long to get up and running as with other programs, and that it made them feel productive right away.

Here are 3 reasons to learn Python based on its beginner-friendliness:

Python can be used in a broad range of environments, including data mining, data science, machine learning, web development, web frameworks, embedded systems, graphic design, gaming, network development and more. Because Python is used as an easier and more efficiently written alternative to languages like C, R and Java that perform similar functions, its popularity as a primary language for many applications is growing. 

This versatility allows developers to choose from a wide range of career options and helps beginners explore more so they can find their passion quickly.

Python also enables quick prototyping, which is why many startups use it to build their first minimum viable product. The term Minimum Viable Product, or MVP, comes from Lean Startup, a methodology that focuses on establishing businesses and products within a short development lifecycle. The MVP quickly and efficiently determines if a proposal is viable without significant cost or risk. 

Python’s broad range of programming applications and rapid growth have led to increased demand for Python programmers. In a September 2022 article on the employment website Indeed’s Career Guide, Python was ranked highest among the most in-demand coding languages, with Javascript and Java taking the second and third spots respectively.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics supports this, citing that employment for software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers is projected to grow at a rate of 25% on a national level, much faster than the average for all occupations, through 2031¹.

Current and aspiring Python developers have plenty of company. Online forums, local meetups and the open-source community make up a vast and supportive user community where they can learn, share and build upon the success of their peers.

On Stack Overflow, a well-established platform for the programming community, Python is tagged in more than one million questions. On GitHub, where developers store project code and collaborate with other developers, Python has a large community with more than 2 million repositories.  

Python also offers a rich ecosystem of packages held within something called the Python Package Index (PyPI). Users can build modules for the ever-growing PyPI library. Users of this giant third-party package library can find tools to help them with a wide range of projects.

Python is an open-source programming language. Unlike most commercially available software that is licensed to users under various subscription agreements, open-source software and programming languages are not owned by anyone. Rather, they are maintained by a community and distributed under various open-source licenses. Examples of well-known open-source software projects include Mozilla Firefox, WordPress and TensorFlow.

For app development projects and their developers, there are several benefits of using open-source programming languages, including:

There are thousands of Python websites on the internet. Instagram, Google, Netflix, Uber and many other tech companies use Python for the back-ends of their websites because of its extensive libraries and simple, reliable and writable code. This includes Reddit, for example, which has 330 million active monthly users. 

According to an interview with co-founders Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian, the biggest reason they use Python, in addition the available libraries, is how reliable and writable it is. “When we hire new employees,” they say, “I just say, ‘everything needs to be in Python’ just so I can read it. And it’s awesome to see from across the room, looking at their screen, whether their code is good or bad.” 

AI and machine learning are the fastest-growing fields in software engineering and data science today, and Python has become the most widely used programming language in these fields. As in web development, the benefits that make Python a good fit for these fields are ease of interface, simplicity, consistency, access to libraries such as NumPy, SciPy and Pandas, frameworks for AI and machine learning and flexibility. In fact, coding platform OneMonth.com has described Python as the future of both AI and machine learning, and it is surpassing languages like MATLAB in scientific research due to its simplicity and ability to achieve similar results with less code.

As shown by the many tech companies who’ve used it to build the back ends of their websites, and its strong popularity in industry surveys, the open-source programming language Python has become the fastest-growing language in AI, data science, machine learning and web development. Whether you are an experienced IT professional, or have little to no experience in the field, the emergence of new programming languages like Python represents the possibility of exciting new career opportunities to pursue.  

Our Undergraduate Certificate in Programming Essentials can help you develop many of the essential skills to explore a role in the field of technology and programming. Courses in this program will prepare you to write code and create applications using industry-recognized programming languages like Python. No prior tech experience is required.

This certificate can be earned 100% online in as little as 10 months, or even more quickly with qualifying transfer credits*, and covers the following topics: