There is no doubt that Python language is very popular among software developers for web development and that its popularity continues to grow. TIOBE, a software company that measures and publishes the popularity of programming languages every month, reported in November that Python has moved up to second place for the first time, overtaking Java.
The growing importance of the once-humble scripting language of the open source world in undisputable. Because of being extremely popular, hiring programmers is easier, especially the younger generation who have just graduated from colleges that have adopted Python almost universally for introductory programming classes. Thanks to that, there are more new libraries and tools available and, as we’ve seen in machine learning, the latest technology is more likely to be written in this language.
Another advantage is that languages like Python were created because programmers often need to solve small problems. They want to solve problems with a few coding lines without the hassle of starting some IDE, waiting for the right libraries to load, creating the code repositories and setting up the CI/CD build path. However, many programmers may not realize how much computing is done in spreadsheets, often because they don’t realize how much real work can be done by people who don’t even think of themselves as programmers.
Programmers may discard tools like word processors, but when it comes to numbers, they don’t realize how useful and adaptable spreadsheets can be. That’s why so many business tools generate reports like spreadsheets and so many business teams use spreadsheets as the lingua franca. Python is a good tool for some science labs, but why not be a perfectly good tool that many people in the office already know about?
On the other hand, an important reason why Python coding can be really quick is because programmers don´t have to spend time defining data types. The interpreter is smart enough to flag errors during execution, so why not let the intelligence of the machine do part of the work for us?
Python’s success is just a reflection of advances in tools and the rise of the casual programmer. Just as the so-called “no-code” revolution is sweeping away some layers, non-programmers are realizing that they can do a lot with just a few basic tools. Sure, serious programmers can dismiss scripting languages like Python as toys, but if the job gets done, who cares?
Another reason why Python is attractive is that machine learning and data science are on the rise. In the past, it used to be enough for the IT team to manage inventory and keep books in order. Now, many companies are exploring more sophisticated approaches using complex math and artificial intelligence. It turns out that Python is extremely popular in these worlds. Of course, you can wait for someone to rewrite the machine learning libraries in COBOL or just type in some more glue code and you’re done.
Another important reason is that the Python (see here) ecosystem is growing. No one can deny that there is an excited feedback loop that attracts more programmers, who then write more libraries that attract more programmers. Python’s rise in TIOBE charts represents the individual decisions of thousands, if not millions, of programmers who have analyzed all the options and have chosen Python.
Also, Python seems to be part of the operating system. Linux may have started with C and assembly code, but Python seems to be everywhere. It’s now such a huge part of many Linux distributions that people ask questions about adding Python to their kernel version. If you are going to use Linux machines, using Python will help you adapt.
Python is everywhere. The open source tradition has encouraged a lot of experimentation and innovation. There are dozens of endless options related to it. Teams need to move slowly into the future, and adopting more Python is one way to do that. The question is how to do this carefully and with a solid strategy. The great news is that this language doesn’t require large investments in infrastructure or time. It was specifically designed for minor jobs. You can start small, enjoy the benefits and keep it under control. Then, more important projects can come later.
