Why Python Is So Popular Even Though It’s Super Slow

Even those unfamiliar with coding have probably heard of Python. Python is considered one of the most popular and in-demand programming languages. According to a recent Stack Overflow survey, Python has ranked foremost among its competitors like Java, C, and C++. But what makes Python the number one choice?

Python was developed to be simple to learn and use. Recently, Python has gained a reputation as a very user- and beginner-friendly language. It is simple to learn because it closely resembles commands in English, and as a result, it improves code readability. Python is also more error-tolerant, so you’ll be able to compile and run your program up until the problematic section without any problems. As a result, it has dethroned Java as the most widely used beginner language.

Since Python is a dynamically typed language, which means that it doesn’t know about the type of the variable until the code is run, it is incredibly flexible and enables us to use modular components created in other programming languages. For example, you could import a C++ program as a module into Python. Although this sounds promising, Python’s flexibility results in it being slower than other popular programming languages. Because it requires numerous references from the computer to validate the meaning of each statement.

How Python Manages to Retain Its Popularity Despite Being Slow

As opposed to other programming languages like C++ and Java, Python is significantly more efficient, which is the main factor in its popularity. It is much more concise and expressive, and it uses fewer lines of code and less time to perform the same tasks thanks to its emphasis on code readability in both design and philosophy. For instance, even though Python programs are slower than Java programs, they can be developed much more quickly because Python codes are approximately 3 times shorter than Java codes.

On the other hand, there have been instances where the most expensive resource and primary concern have been computer run time. However, speed has diminished in importance since computers, servers, and other technologies have become more reasonable than ever. Today, project development time is more crucial than the execution speed of the programming languages, due to increased employee costs. Shorter development time not only saves money but also increases your competitiveness. It enables faster prototypes and innovations, helping companies to beat the competition. In short, the time you can save in development will likely be more cost-effective than the performance and execution speed you get in the programming. This is the factor that makes python a turning point for companies. Considering the pros and cons of these facts, which option would you choose as a CEO?

Python is used to fuel myriad data processing tasks in enterprises all over the world and is the second most popular tool for analytics and data science. Thousands of machine learning projects use Python libraries like OpenCV for computer vision and TensorFlow for neural networks. JPMorgan, for instance, forecasts the financial markets using Python. The NSA further employs Python for security-related intelligence analysis and cryptography.

In conclusion, even though Python is slower than other languages, it is widely used because of its efficiency, ability to optimize employees in businesses to reduce the need for labor, promises of competitiveness through quick innovation, and usage in a variety of fields thanks to its extensive library.

Sources:

Saabith, AL Sayeth, M. M. M. Fareez, and T. Vinothraj. “Python current trend applications-an overview.” International Journal of Advance Engineering and Research Development 6, no. 10 (2019).

Srinath, K. R. “Python–the fastest growing programming language.” International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology 4, no. 12 (2017): 354-357.

Author:

Yusuf Ünlü