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<!DOCTYPE html>

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<title>Why Use Python? - Full Stack Python</title>

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<span class="logo-title"><a href="/">Full Stack Python</a></span>

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<h1>Why Use Python?</h1>

<p>Python's expansive library of open source data analysis tools,

<a href="/web-frameworks.html">web frameworks</a>,

and testing instruments make its ecosystem one of the largest out of any

programming community. </p>

<p>Python is an accessible language for new programmers because the community

provides many <a href="/best-python-resources.html">introductory resources</a>. The

language is also widely taught in universities and used for working with

beginner-friendly devices such as the

<a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/">Raspberry Pi</a>.</p>

If you're learning about why to use Python you should also take a look at

<a href="/best-python-resources.html">the best Python resources</a> and read

<a href="/what-full-stack-means.html">what "full stack" means</a>.

</div>

<h2>Python's programming language popularity</h2>

<p>Several programming language popularity rankings exist. While it's

possible to criticize that these guides are not exact, every ranking shows

Python as a top programming language within the top ten, if not the top five

of all languages. </p>

<p>Most recently, the

<a href="http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2015/01/14/language-rankings-1-15/">RedMonk January 2015 ranking</a> had Python at #4.</p>

<p>The

<a href="http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html">TIOBE Index</a>,

a long-running language ranking, has Python steady at #8. </p>

<p>The <a href="http://pypl.github.io/PYPL.html">PopularitY of Programming Language</a>

(PYPL), based on leading indicators from Google Trends search keyword

analysis, shows Python at #3.</p>

<p><a href="http://githut.info/">GitHut</a>, a visualization of GitHub language popularity,

pegs Python at #3 overall as well.</p>

<p>These rankings provide a rough measure for language popularity. They are not

intended as a precise measurement tool to determine exactly how many

developers are using a language. However, the aggregate view shows that Python

remains a stable programming language with a growing ecosystem.</p>

<h2>Why does the choice of programming language matter?</h2>

<p>Programming languages have unique ecosystems, cultures and philosophies

built around them. You will find friction with a community and difficulty

in learning if your approach to programming varies from the philosophy of

the programming language you've selected.</p>

<p>Python's culture values

<a href="https://github.com/trending?l=python&since=monthly">open source software</a>,

community involvement with

<a href="http://www.pycon.org/">local, national and international events</a> and

teaching to new programmers. If those values are also important to you and/or

your organization then Python may be a good fit. </p>

<p>The philosophy for Python is so strongly held that it's even embedded in

the language as shown when the interpreter executes "import this" and

displays <a href="https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0020/">The Zen of Python</a>.</p>

<div class="codehilite"><pre><span class="o">>>></span> <span class="n">import</span> <span class="n">this</span>

<span class="n">The</span> <span class="n">Zen</span> <span class="n">of</span> <span class="n">Python</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">by</span> <span class="n">Tim</span> <span class="n">Peters</span>

<span class="n">Beautiful</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">ugly</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Explicit</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">implicit</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Simple</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">complex</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Complex</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">complicated</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Flat</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">nested</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Sparse</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">dense</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Readability</span> <span class="n">counts</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Special</span> <span class="n">cases</span> <span class="n">aren</span><span class="err">'</span><span class="n">t</span> <span class="n">special</span> <span class="n">enough</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="k">break</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">rules</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Although</span> <span class="n">practicality</span> <span class="n">beats</span> <span class="n">purity</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Errors</span> <span class="n">should</span> <span class="n">never</span> <span class="n">pass</span> <span class="n">silently</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Unless</span> <span class="n">explicitly</span> <span class="n">silenced</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">In</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">face</span> <span class="n">of</span> <span class="n">ambiguity</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">refuse</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">temptation</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="n">guess</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">There</span> <span class="n">should</span> <span class="n">be</span> <span class="n">one</span><span class="o">--</span> <span class="n">and</span> <span class="n">preferably</span> <span class="n">only</span> <span class="n">one</span> <span class="o">--</span><span class="n">obvious</span> <span class="n">way</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="k">do</span> <span class="n">it</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Although</span> <span class="n">that</span> <span class="n">way</span> <span class="n">may</span> <span class="n">not</span> <span class="n">be</span> <span class="n">obvious</span> <span class="n">at</span> <span class="n">first</span> <span class="n">unless</span> <span class="n">you</span><span class="err">'</span><span class="n">re</span> <span class="n">Dutch</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Now</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">never</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Although</span> <span class="n">never</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">often</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="o">*</span><span class="n">right</span><span class="o">*</span> <span class="n">now</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">If</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">implementation</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">hard</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="n">explain</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">it</span><span class="err">'</span><span class="n">s</span> <span class="n">a</span> <span class="n">bad</span> <span class="n">idea</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">If</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">implementation</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">easy</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="n">explain</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">it</span> <span class="n">may</span> <span class="n">be</span> <span class="n">a</span> <span class="n">good</span> <span class="n">idea</span><span class="p">.</span>

<span class="n">Namespaces</span> <span class="n">are</span> <span class="n">one</span> <span class="n">honking</span> <span class="n">great</span> <span class="n">idea</span> <span class="o">--</span> <span class="n">let</span><span class="err">'</span><span class="n">s</span> <span class="k">do</span> <span class="n">more</span> <span class="n">of</span> <span class="n">those</span><span class="o">!</span>

</pre></div>

<h3>More perspectives on why to use Python</h3>

<ul>

<li>

<p>The Python documentation has a HOWTO section specifically for

<a href="https://docs.python.org/2/howto/advocacy.html">Python advocacy</a>.</p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://nothingbutsnark.svbtle.com/how-to-argue-for-pythons-use">How to argue for Python’s use</a>

explains that choosing a programming language can be complicated but that

Python is a very good option for many use cases.</p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://lorenabarba.com/blog/why-i-push-for-python/">Why I Push for Python</a>

explains one professor's rationale for promoting Python to teach programming

to undergraduates.</p>

</li>

<li>

<p>If you're wondering about the differences in Python's dynamically typed

system versus statically typed languages, be sure to

<a href="http://blogs.perl.org/users/ovid/2010/08/what-to-know-before-debating-type-systems.html">read this thorough explanation of the topic</a>.</p>

</li>

</ul>

<h3>What else do you want to learn about Python?</h3>

<p class="under-btn">What editor should I use to code my Python app?</p> </div>

</div>

<p class="under-btn">I want to learn how to code a Python web application using a framework.</p> </div>

</div>

<p class="under-btn">What are web application programming interfaces (APIs)?</p> </div>

</div>

</div> <div id="mc_embed_signup">

<h4>Sign up here to receive an email with major updates to this site and Python tutorials delivered to your inbox once a month.</h4>

</div>

</div>

</form>

</div>

<p style="font-size: .8em; margin-top: 10px;">Searching for a complete, step-by-step deployment walkthrough? Learn more about <a href="http://www.deploypython.com/">The Full Stack Python Guide to Deployments book</a>.

</p>

</div>

</div> <div class="panel panel-success">

<h3 class="panel-head"><a href="/table-of-contents.html" style="color: #fff;">Table of Contents</a></h3>

</div>

<a href="/introduction.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Introduction</a>

<a href="/learning-programming.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Learning Programming</a>

<a href="/why-use-python.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item active" style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Why Use Python?</a>

<a href="/best-python-resources.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Best Python Resources</a>

<a href="/best-python-videos.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Best Python Videos</a>

<a href="/enterprise-python.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Enterprise Python</a>

<a href="/development-environments.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Development Environments</a>

<a href="/emacs.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Emacs</a>

<a href="/generators.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Generators</a>

<a href="/comprehensions.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Comprehensions</a>

<a href="/web-frameworks.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Web Frameworks</a>

<a href="/django.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Django</a>

<a href="/flask.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Flask</a>

<a href="/bottle.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Bottle</a>

<a href="/pyramid.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Pyramid</a>

<a href="/morepath.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Morepath</a>

<a href="/other-web-frameworks.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Other Web Frameworks</a>

<a href="/web-design.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Web Design</a>

<a href="/cascading-style-sheets.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Cascading Style Sheets</a>

<a href="/javascript.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>JavaScript</a>

<a href="/websockets.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>WebSockets</a>

<a href="/web-application-security.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Web Application Security</a>

<a href="/static-site-generator.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Static Site Generator</a>

<a href="/databases.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Databases</a>

<a href="/no-sql-datastore.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>NoSQL Data Stores</a>

<a href="/object-relational-mappers-orms.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Object-relational Mappers (ORMs)</a>

<a href="/application-programming-interfaces.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Application Programming Interfaces</a>

<a href="/api-integration.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>API Integration</a>

<a href="/api-creation.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>API Creation</a>

<a href="/deployment.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Deployment</a>

<a href="/servers.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Servers</a>

<a href="/platform-as-a-service.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Platform-as-a-service</a>

<a href="/operating-systems.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Operating Systems</a>

<a href="/web-servers.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Web Servers</a>

<a href="/wsgi-servers.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>WSGI Servers</a>

<a href="/source-control.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Source Control</a>

<a href="/application-dependencies.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Application Dependencies</a>

<a href="/static-content.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Static Content</a>

<a href="/task-queues.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Task Queues</a>

<a href="/configuration-management.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Configuration Management</a>

<a href="/continuous-integration.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Continuous Integration</a>

<a href="/logging.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Logging</a>

<a href="/monitoring.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Monitoring</a>

<a href="/web-analytics.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Web Analytics</a>

<a href="/docker.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Docker</a>

<a href="/caching.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Caching</a>

<a href="/code-metrics.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Code Metrics</a>

<a href="/what-full-stack-means.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>What "Full Stack" Means</a>

<a href="/change-log.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Change Log</a>

<a href="/future-directions.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>Future Directions</a>

<a href="/about-author.html" class="list-group-item smaller-item " style='font-family: "Helvetica Neue",sans-serif;'>About the Author</a>

</div>

</p>

</div>

</div> <div class="panel panel-success">

<div class="panel-heading"><h3 class="panel-head">Why Use Python?</h3></div>

Major updates are tweeted via

<a href="https://twitter.com/fullstackpython">@fullstackpython</a>.

<hr/>

Need more detailed tutorials than you see here?

<a href="http://www.deploypython.com/">Learn more about The Full Stack Python Guide to Deployments book.</a>

</div>

</div></div>

<hr/>

<a href="http://www.mattmakai.com/" class="underline">Matt Makai</a>

2015

</div>

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