Python Development: It's More Popular Than Ever in 2022.

For backend development, the data shows developers prefer Python.

Python vs. Java

When we were deciding which new development course to offer our students, we were already seeing the trend that Python was growing in adoption and popularity, while Java was declining.

If you've considered learning backend development, then you know about the popular programming languages Python and Java.

Both are object-oriented, multipurpose programming languages used in backend development.

But what are the differences causing Python to grow in popularity?

What is Python?

Python is a simple, open source and object-oriented programming language used for artificial intelligence, machine learning, web development, data science and more.

What is Java?

Java is an object-oriented, platform-independent programming language used for developing android apps, enterprise-scale web applications and more.

How are Python and Java Different?

1. Speed of development

2. Syntax readability

3. Ease of learning

4. Real world use

5. Salary potential

6. Trends

 

Speed of Development:

"Python is known for its speed and famously easy to write in, making development really fast. If you’re pressed for time and looking to meet a deadline, you should go with Python.” Comparing the Pros, Cons, and Use Cases | stxnet.com

Most developers will prefer the ease of writing in a specific language, over the speed at which the code compiles.

• Python development is incredibly fast due to its simplicity. Python programs are 3-5x shorter than a Java equivalent.
• Java is compiled and interpreted faster at run time. But since Java can take so much longer to develop, we think this is a win for Python.
• Python has many libraries and frameworks with ready-made features and solutions for the developers to use. (e.g. Django, Flask)

 

Syntax Readability:

It takes some getting used to, but Python indentation requirements are helpful.

• Python requires fewer lines of code.
• Java's higher code volume means more code to support, enhance, and fix.
• Python is dynamically typed so it does not require developers to declare arguments or variables. This makes it more flexible so developers can focus more on adding functionality.
• Java is statically typed, which gives it better performance at runtime since type checking occurs at compile time.
• Unlike most languages that use braces or brackets to declare statements, Python uses indentation and white space, which increases readability.

Let's look at two examples: In the first simple "hello world" example, the difference between the syntax complexity and legibility is clear.

print ('Hello, World!')

Example in Java:

public class HelloWorld {
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		System.out.println("Hello, World");
	}
}

The next example is a more real world look at the differences.

You can see how in Python there are less characters required and it is easier to read compared to writing the same action in Java.

Here is an example from Imaginarycloud.com:

Example in Python:

# Working with Lists
countries = [
    "Portugal", 
    "England", 
    "Brazil", 
    "New Zealand", 
    "Spain"
    ]
numbers = [12, 14, 9, 10, 9]
# Sorting a List
countries.sort()
# Looping a List
for country in countries:
    print(country)

Example in Java:

import java.util.Arrays;
public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Working with Arrays
        String[] countries = {
            "Portugal", 
            "England", 
            "Brazil", 
            "New Zealand", 
            "Spain"
        };
        int[] numbers = {12, 14, 9, 10, 9};
        // Sorting an Array in ascending order
        // need to import java.util.Arrays
        Arrays.sort(countries);
        // Looping through an Array
        for (String city : countries) {
            System.out.println(city);
        }

The Python code is more concise and easier to read compared to the same code in Java.

 

Ease of Learning:

"Python is another general-purpose language and is recommended for beginners. You can learn to script basic functionality on your first day… Python is helpful in understanding fundamental coding concepts.” The 7 Best Programming Languages to Learn for Beginners | ThoughtCo

Python is easy to learn.

It’s great for beginners.

Python’s clear, simple syntax is considered "human-readable" since it’s similar to how we use language in our everyday life.

Java has a bigger learning curve. It’s complex with a lot more syntax rules.

"Python code looks good. Python code always looks good, because regardless of who wrote it and when you have to try to make it ugly. You know what I still get errors about though? Types in Java." - What Happened When I Learned Java and Python at the Same Time | Alli Teration

 

Real World Use:

“Python seems to be unstoppable. The scripting language gained another 2% this month. It is now at an all time high of 15.42% market share. It is hard to find a field of programming in which Python is not used extensively nowadays.” – TIOBE Index for August 2022: Python going through the roof.

Both languages are useful, but the real-world uses for Python are in high demand and growing.

When you use your phone’s camera, have you noticed that the software is able to identify faces in the frame and then place squares around the faces?

It knows this because companies have "taught" the software what a face looks like by showing the software millions of examples of faces.

This is a simple explanation of machine learning, but you get the idea.

Technologies like this are being developed every day and companies need the ability to manage, process, and analyze huge sets of data to accomplish these goals.

One of Python's core strengths is that developers have written very powerful libraries in Python that make data visualization easy by processing very large sets of growing data. (e.g. Dask and Pandas)

When dealing in large sets of data, it is often necessary to be able to visualize that data, and developers have also written powerful libraries in Python to handle this visualization. (e.g. Matplotlib)

Python is growing in popularity across many industries such as finance, gaming, and even receiving data from outer space. The JWST uses Python to send data back to Earth, where data scientists and software engineers store it, visualize it, and analyze it.

In addition, excellent machine learning libraries have been written for Python and adopted by the community. (e.g. PyTorch and TensorFlow)

When you combine these benefits with how easy it is to read the code, develop new features, and learn the syntax—plus, how much support Python has in the Open-Source community, the popularity of Python makes sense.

 

Salary Potential:

Per Indeed and Glassdoor, Python will give a better annual salary.

Indeed Python developer salary national average - $108,059

Indeed Java developer salary national average - $105,664

Glassdoor Python entry-level salary national average - $101,007

Glassdoor Java entry-level salary national average – 99,975

 

Trends:

Python has been gaining interest over time according to Google Trends.

 

And it is ranked higher by developers in Stack Overflow's 2022 dev survey.

Most Commonly Used:

• Python: 48.07%
• Java: 33.27%

Most Wanted:

• Python: 17.59%
• Java: 5.6%

 

To us, Learning Python is the clear choice.

Python is easier to learn and write, has a higher entry level salary, is gaining in popularity, and is the choice for AI, ML, and data science applications.

Why not learn Python in our Backend with Python bootcamp?

To learn more, please schedule a call with a Nucamp advisor.