Python is the world’s third most popular programming language in February 2021, according to TIOBE’s index. It grew over 1.52% since January. Its massive demand in the past few years is a result of its diverse applications. Python is now widely in use for Machine Learning, Data Science, Neural Networking, and more. Today, Python for web development is increasing as companies look forward to advanced applications that can fulfill enterprise-grade requirements.
The industry giants quickly adopted Python web development. Instagram, Google, Spotify, Disqus, Youtube, and more are actively using Python. The Python web development framework, Django, is amongst the most used frameworks for web development. It is a batteries-included framework, making it possible to undertake all kinds of Python web development projects.
But Python is still not fool-proof. It is still considered heavy against Ruby on Rails, which can enable rapid web application development. In this article, we will focus on the following –
- Applications of Python
- Pros of Python web development
- Cons of Python web development
- When is Python the right choice?
A Python web development roadmap, like this guide, will help you determine whether you choose the programming language for your next project or not. Let’s dive into the details.
Applications of Python
Apart from Python web development with Django, the programming language has some exciting applications in the real world. It offers scientific computing, statistical analysis, numerical computation, predictive analytics, and much more. Since it is so robust and diverse, a software development company can use Python for building applications in the following areas –
- Game development
- Artificial Intelligence
- Scientific applications
- Desktop GUI
- Enterprise-grade applications
- Software products
- Language development
- Education programs
- Operating systems
- Image processing
- Pattern recognition
When you ask what is Python used for in web development, the simple answer is – all of the above. Python developers can integrate these applications and combine them to build high-advanced projects.
Checkout 10 Python web development Use case
Let’s have a look at why Python is now heavily used by companies for applications.
Pros of Python for web development
If the industry leaders are using Python web development framework, then there must be something to it. Why use Python for web development is often answered vaguely. But let’s have a look at it in detail. Here are the pros of Python web development projects –
- Simple learning curve
Python is now taught in universities in introductory courses. It has a simple learning curve, making it easier for beginners to become experts. The language is similar to English used in everyday life. Developers face no problem in continuing projects that previous engineers leave. Rookies can learn faster, experiment better, and become experts in no time.
- Scalable language
Python is a massively scalable programming language. In fact, most companies tend to use Python because of its scalability factor. Python ensures that your application remains stable when the number of users grow. It doesn’t impact the engagement rate or cause any lags. It enables you to maintain the code efficiently without costing any additional time or money.
- Rapid prototyping
Python web development with Django, Web2Py, or any other framework offers faster development. The reason is the simplicity of the language. Due to its syntax, developers can write complicated code with ease. A single line of code can perform a powerful function without any problems. Python website source code is easy to understand, offering rapid prototyping capabilities.
- Flexibility in development
The Python web development framework, Django, is one of the trusted and leading frameworks for web applications. There is utmost flexibility in development as the developers can configure their environment on the go. There are countless libraries available that enable you to build applications for scientific computing, statistical and numerical analysis, and Machine Learning.
- Wide developer community
Current data shows that the Python programming language has the most prominent developer community in the world. So when you are facing any problem, the possibility is that there is already a solution for that. On top of that, Python developers are continuously experimenting with the language. Python web development courses are also made available by community members for simplifying the development process.
Apart from this, Python is highly powerful. The object-oriented nature of Python makes it a perfect server-side scripting language as well. But is it suitable for all applications? Python has its disadvantages as well.
Cons of Python for web development
Now that we understand Python’s importance and benefits, it is safe to assume that it is perfect for web application development. However, it is not foolproof. Python may be a leading programming language, but it lags in certain aspects. Here are the cons of Python web development projects –
- Slower development
Python is an interpreted scripting language. Due to its heavy and powerful nature, it is slower than other programming languages. When compared to Ruby, Python doesn’t deliver 25% more efficiency like Rails. If the project includes basic development features, Python will take a decent amount of time. However, with heavy computations and complex coding, Python would start lagging a little.
- Lack of experts
For its growing popularity, Python web development projects still lack the right experts. There are beginner programmers who can take up projects. But for projects where you need heavy lifting of code, experts are rare. It also makes Python development a little costly as the developers are not readily available and would charge more for any project.
- Mobile-unfriendliness
Currently, Ruby on Rails is the right choice for mobile application development, apart from React Native. However, Python lacks the capability to deliver mobile applications. There are limited Python developers who have experience in building a mobile application. Java and Swift are probably the more popular languages for developing Android and iOS apps, respectively.
That being said, Python is also not suitable for smaller applications and systems. The dynamic nature of the programming language is not acceptable for building software products that require less time. Python is perfect for scalable applications, but its simplicity for complex applications is also an inherent weakness.
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Let’s look at the kind of projects that Python is suitable for.
When is Python the right choice?
The next best thing you should know is the type of projects that Python is good for.
Generally, Python is perfect for enterprise-grade applications. Whether you want a dashboard for internal systems management or a centralized portal for customer engagement, Python can build them with ease. The massive power of Python comes in handy to write complicated code with ease for such applications.
In this regard, web development becomes easier for companies. You can also combine web applications with data science capabilities and reap the maximum benefits of Python. Today, Python is useful for building apps with chatbots, AI bots, pattern recognition, and predictive analytics to deliver the best results to their stakeholders.
Here’s a case study that shows how a music traveler company uses Python to connect musicians with places where they can practice their art.
Python is also a powerful programming language for big data. The multiple library support of Pandas, TensorFlow, NumPy, SciPy, etc., is essential for applications that require data analytics and computing. In fact, Python web development has such high processing speed in big data that it enables maintaining maximum transparency while simultaneously building the application.
Combined with agile project management, building a Python web development roadmap becomes simple. Because of its iterative nature and flexible development process, Python is useful for MVPs that require frequent releases. The easy code maintainability allows Python developers to release new versions of the applications without any hassle.
Here are some of the business problems that you can solve using Python development –
- Mathematical analysis for building applications that require forecasting the numbers of demand and supply, stock market prices, and much more.
- When you can mine data through regular tools, Python can help build algorithms using tools that can identify hidden patterns and assist in data mining.
- Managing the cloud platform infrastructure of any application can be easily solved with Python due to its simplicity in development and powerful security.
Python comes with a host of features that make it the perfect general-purpose programming language. In today’s world, Python can be easily said as the go-to-programming language for all applications. Even though Python web development frameworks may have some limitations in terms of speed and processing, if you have the time and money for a quality application, Python is your companion.
Conclusion
Python’s popularity is on the rise. There’s no denying the fact that it will play a significant role in modern applications. Along with R, Go, and Scala, Python, would be the game-changer in web applications. Apart from being useful in rapid prototyping and building enterprise-grade apps, it would change how Machine Learning algorithms are written. There are disadvantages to it, but they are more of initial limitations rather than long-term issues.
If you can get past them, a quality application is waiting for you. You can connect with Python experts at BoTree Technologies, a leading Python software development company, for more information on how you can use Python for your business applications.
