Python the snake never bites, and so doesn’t Python the programming language! It is no secret that programming looks cool and extremely difficult at the same time. That is mostly because it actually is! As we already deeply explained in our other article “Coding, What It Is & What It Isn’t“, programming is basically translating human language into computer language so the computer can understand what the humans want. Make sure to check that one out to learn more about what programming actually is.

Now, what if we told you there was more to this? What if we could tell you that there is one programming language out there that is efficient and easy to learn at the same time? Well, say hello to Python!

There are literally countless programming languages put there to start and each of them would have its own pros and cons but the thing is that rookies do not learn how to drive by practicing on an 18 wheeler! I mean technically they sure could but wouldn’t for so many obvious reasons! That is pretty much the story between learning Python and other languages!

Do not get this message incorrectly! There are other programming languages such as Java which are just as versatile as Python out there that are great for beginners too. You can also check out our article “Java; The Best For Coding Anything!” to learn more about what Java is as well as our Java courses.

In this article, we are going to take a look at Python, the programming language!

What Exactly Is Python?

Let’s start by establishing a firm ground on what Python actually is!

Technically, Python is one of the many programming languages that are out there. It is object-oriented, which means there is very little code duplication when writing a program with Python. It is considered a high-level programming language and it can be used for the Web and the development of application software. Python has brought whole new standards to the field of Rapid Application Development (AKA RAD) as it has made coding fast and efficient for developers.

This programming language is also relatively simple to learn thanks to its unique syntax that was designed to focus more on readability. Code written in the Python programming language is easier for developers to read and translate than other languages. This in turn reduces the cost of maintaining and developing programs written in this language because it allows teams to work together without encountering language barriers and having different work experiences among team members.

In addition, Python is designed as a modular programming language. This means that developers are able to take advantage of a wide array of pre-designed modules and packages for their projects instead of having to code everything down from the scratch. This leads to the programs being designed in a modular style and hence the code written in one project can be reused as the module in various other projects. Once a user has developed the module or package they need, they can easily extend it for use in other projects as long as the code is made available to the public. importing and exporting modules are also extremely fast and easy in Python.

Python is a general-purpose programming language. In other words, it can be used for coding almost anything and that is a huge claim in the world of programming! This is partially due to the fact that it is an interpreted language, meaning that code written in this language is not really translated into a computer-readable format at runtime. However, most programming languages do this conversion even before execution which is sometimes known as compiling process. Such languages are also known as scripting languages as they were originally intended for use in smaller projects. Head over to this link to learn more about scripting languages!

The concept of scripting language has changed significantly since its inception and that is because Python has been used for writing large commercial and application software instead of just small projects. The use of Python in various projects has grown significantly as its popularity has increased over the years. Many web applications and platforms including Google’s Search Engine, YouTube, and the New York Stock Exchange web-based transaction systems are written in Python. This only gives us a minor idea of how powerful Python actually is!

NASA also uses Python to program most of its aerospace equipment and machinery. It is also used to process text, display numbers or images, solve scientific equations, and store data. In short, it has become the language behind countless major projects of the world!

Another thing that is worth mentioning about it is the fact that both the entire library as well as the standard interpreter are absolutely free for everyone. There are no monopoly or monetization schemes on Python, as all the tools necessary for coding with it are available on all major platforms. ultimately, this has made this programming language an extremely attractive option for developers who do not want to worry about high development costs.

Python is a programming language that is most suited for developing web material, applications, and software, including mobile apps, it is easy to learn and its basic tools are available for free. This makes the Python programming language accessible to almost everyone. If one dedicates enough time (which is not a lot by the way), to learning this magnificent programming language, they will be able to create extraordinary programs in no time!

Key Features

We have already discussed some of the features of Python in the previous sections of this article. In this section, we are going to get more in-depth with the main key features. This would help us with better comprehending the next section as well which is why this programing language is so popular!

• Python is a powerful and flexible language with a very organized structure which makes coding very easy. This programming language has a lot of focus on code readability so that anyone can easily read and communicate with the code written in this language.
• Python supports a variety of programming methods such as process, function, and of course object orientation. This has led many companies and even government organizations to choose this language over others for their large and sensitive projects.
• The interpretability of this language means that Python codes are translated line by line by the compiler and there is a Python compiler for different operating systems. The main objective of the compiler is to translate the Python code into machine language and then execute them. Many Linux distributions have Python and its compiler by default, and you can start coding on this operating system without the need for a compiler. The installation version of the Windows version and the Mac OS can also be downloaded from their official website.
• Python is released under its own license which is called PSFL or Python Software Foundation License. This license is very similar to the GPL license, however, it is less strict for republishing. For this reason, developers have easily designed many libraries for this language which has led Python to have countless extremely famous libraries. This has played a crucial role in its development. It was libraries that set Python apart from the rest of the programming languages, even the very popular ones! The same feature opened the doors for the language to areas such as web design, application design, artificial intelligence, and data mining.

Major Applications of Python

So as we have already established, pretty much anyone from ordinary programmers to advanced engineers can use this language. It can be used for small tasks such as controlling a simple modulator robot or executing very complex code, such as analyzing large volumes of financial data. The scalability that has been integrated into this language plays an important role in its popularity too. Just to mention a few of the most important applications of Python programming in various fields, we can point out data science, machine learning, and data mining.

Below we are going to look at 3 of the main areas where Python is most often put in use.

Web Design

Most people and programmers use languages like PHP and ASP to design a website however, Python also has great potential when it comes to this area of expertise. There are a number of really powerful frameworks within the language including Django and Flask, which has made Python extremely versatile and popular in web design.

Python is mostly used for front-end development. This is due to the fact that it has a huge library of code and modules for graphic design and execution that makes coding the front-end a breeze for the developers. It also supports most of the standard web libraries such as HTML and JSON.

Machine Learning

Machine learning is a newly developed area of science where computers are programmed through certain algorithms in a way in which they can perform certain tasks automatically and correct their errors along the way without the help of a human. This is mostly done through the use of experience and previous data.

Machine learning algorithms are very important and have many applications. Google, for example, uses machine learning algorithms for its search engine. Have you ever wondered how Google always recommends the color of clothes you seem to like the most? That is machine learning! Many other companies such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube also use machine learning technology in order to provide a more pleasing experience for their users. Python excels at machine learning due to the fact that it has countless machine learning libraries. Being a modular language, the code and modules created by one team can be shared with others which is another factor that fetches the attention of the scientists working in the field of machine learning!

Scientific And Numerical Processing

Python is widely used in scientific and numerical processing. Just to mention some of the libraries that are available for developers we can point out to SciPy, Pandas, and IPython. It also provides libraries and modules that can be used along with other software. There is a library for every engineering software from mechanical design to electronic and control systems. This makes the designing whatever the designer has in mind extremely seamless, especially for those who are familiar with how to code.

Who Uses Python?

So so far we have learned why Python is one of the most widely used programming languages in the world today. Wherever there is talk of intelligence, automation, and coding, Python is there. In addition to its commercial and industrial applications, it is taught in universities and schools around the world. This is due to the fact that this programming language has been tested and is being used by the largest companies in the field of technology and has been able to come out of all these experiments with its head held high. Now let’s take a brief look and see what companies are using this programming language.

Instagram

There are very few people out there today who do not know what Instagram is! Well just to help them out as well, Instagram is the largest photo and video sharing service in the entire world with over one billion active users! Instagram is currently the largest application that is implemented under one of the Python frameworks. It is Written using Django and the entire backend is coded in Python.

Google Search Engine

Even though there are a large number of search engines out there on the Internet, a few are as famous and popular as the all-mighty Google! Search engines are basically responsible for providing appropriate search results to the users. Among all of them, Google’s search engine is known to be the best and most popular. Google dates back to 1996, Sergei Brin and Larry Page, began working on a research project. The IT giant has used Python to help design many of its products.

Spotify

Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world. Did you know that over 80% of Spotify’s development was done using Python? This was claimed by one of their chief developers. it is worth mentioning that the rest 20% is obviously on other languages such as Java!

Netflix

Netflix is a well-known name when it comes to the internet TV industry and has users in over 40 countries around the world. The company is one of the largest movie streaming services, has stated somewhere in its blog that it has used Python to develop various sectors of its website and apps. Netflix also relies on Java for its backend development as we have mentioned in another article “Java; The Best For Coding Anything!“.

Dropbox

Dropbox is one of the best file hosting services. With the help of the cloud memory provided by dropbox, users will have access to their files through their Dropbox account. All they need is an internet connection! They currently have over 200 million users from all around the world. Not only do they use Python, but they also have hired the creator of the language, Guido van Rossum, to guide and supervise the development stages of Dropbox!

Career Outlook For Python Developers

Having said all the above, it should be obvious by now how crucial Python programming has become in today’s world. Many companies, businesses and corporations are already built upon this programming language the number of newcomers who will be relying on it is increasing daily!

A genuine Python programmer will be able to get a very well-paid job in the job markets anywhere in the world especially in more developed areas such as the USA, Canada, Finland, and Japan. These are just some examples though. Pretty much anywhere you go, there’s a need for at least one Python developer.

The fields of work for such individuals are pretty much countless as well. They can work in a wide array of industries such as application development, web design, engineering, statistical organizations, software design and so much more. Many companies are also promoting those employees who are well-versed in programming languages including Python. Learning Python will be opening many new doors for individuals.

Python With GeniusCamp

In GeniusCamp we offer Python courses that are designed and tailored for children. Our chief aim is to facilitate fun ad exciting learning programs that would help our GeniusCampers not only become skillful in the course at hand but also be able to use their knowledge and hard-earned experience in the future.

In GeniuCamp we offer 4 main courses for children who are interested in learning to code with Python. All courses are offered in both 1-on-1 and semi-private (maximum of 3 students) sessions.

The first one is our “Pre-Python” course. This course is designed for children aged from 7 to 10 years old. It is a specially tailored program that helps children learn the basics of programming and the fundamental principles of designing programs using Python through PyGames. They will learn basic algorithms and how they work, basic syntax, loops, and conditional statements. The final project for this program is the Mad Story Game. The semi-private course will take 3 months to complete. That includes one 60-minute session per week and 2 weeks of projects!

The second course of the group is our “Python Introduction” course. All the curriculum for this course is almost identical to the previous one with the only difference being that the course material is optimized for beginner GeniusCampers aged 10 to 17. This course has no prerequisites so individuals do not need to pass the previous course to enter this one. Also, the final project for this course is the Fish Game.

The second course is the “Python Intermediate” course. This program takes everything that was thought in the previous course up a notch and introduces some new material as well. GeniusCampers will learn more sophisticated topics such as nested loops, modules, dictionaries, classes and objects. They will be putting all their course material in order to develop the Robot Vs. Zombie game as their final project. The semi-private course will take 3 months but consists of on 90-minute session per week with the same 2 weeks for their final project.

The last course is the “Python Advanced” course. This is where things get extremely serious for the GeniusCampers as they are now already capable programmers at this point. Having mastered all the basics already, GeniusCampers will be entering the realms of game design at this point! They will be learning about Artificial Intelligence (AKA AI) along with some other advanced topics including data visualization and GUIs. The final project for this course is a fully functional online multiplayer game. Similar to the previous course, this course will also take 15 hours of lectures (90 minutes a week) with 2 weeks of projects and adds up to a good 3 months of fun and learning!

In this article, we tried to provide a glimpse of what Python is and what it can do. Whether new in this whole programming thing or they already have some ideas or experiences, sharpening this skill will only prove fruitful for the near and far future. Check out the courses section on top of the screen to learn more about other courses too!