Is it Worth Learning Python in 2024?
Jobs, Machine Learning, Web Development, Automation, and 10 more reasons to learn Python in 2024
If you follow my blog regularly, then you may be wondering why am I writing an article to tell people to learn Python? Didn’t I ask you to prefer Java over Python a couple of years ago?
Well, things have changed a lot since then. In 2016, Python replaced Java as the most popular language in colleges and Universities, and since then, it has never looked back.
Python is growing and growing big time. If you read programming and technology news or blog post, then you might have noticed the rise of Python as many popular developer communities, including StackOverFlow and CodeAcademy has mentioned the rise of Python as a major programming language.
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But, the biggest question is, why a programmer should learn Python? Python is growing, Ok, that’s great, but it doesn’t mean Java is going down or C++ is declining.
Well, I am a proud Java developer, and it is my favorite programming language and always remains, but, that doesn’t stop us from learning potential new tools and programming language, which will make you a better programmer and Python fits that bill.
For beginners it’s simple, start with Python because it is easy to learn and powerful enough to build a web application and automate the boring stuff
Actually, a couple of years back, scripting was the main reason for learning Python, and that was also the first and foremost reason I was attracted to Python and preferred it over Perl, another popular scripting language of that time.
For experienced programmers or someone who already know Ruby, Java, or JavaScript, learning Python means acquiring a new and powerful tool in your arsenal and I have yet to come up with a programmer who says no to a tool, and that’s the right way to look when you learn a new programming language.
As mentioned in the classical Automate the Boring Stuff with Python book, Python gives you the ability to automate trivial stuff and lets you focus on more exciting and useful things. If you haven’t read the book yet, then I go and read it, it’s worth your time.
There is also an online course with the same title, just in case you prefer course over books:
Automate Boring Stuff with Python — the best book and course for Python lovers
If you are a Java developer, you can do that with Groovy as well, but Groovy doesn’t offer you what Python in terms of its wide reach in APIs, libraries, frameworks, and domains like Data Science, Machine learning, and Web Development.
If you have already made your mind and just want to start with Python right now, I suggest you take a look at The Complete Python Developer in 2024: Zero to Mastery course by Andrei Negaoie on ZTM Academy, one of the easiest courses to become a Python Developer in 2024.
Why should Programmers Learn Python in 2024?
If you are thinking of learning Python but not sure why you should do that, then here are ten reasons which highlight the benefits of learning Python in 2024.
Though, the questions depend upon who is asking that i.e. for a beginner, learning Python makes sense because it's simple and the main reason for learning Python is simplicity.
Similarly, for an experienced programmer who is looking to go into Data Science and Machine learning, learning Python makes sense because it’s quickly becoming the most used programming language, and there are powerful APIs and libraries available for AI, Data Science, and Machine learning.
Anyway, without any further ado, here are my ten reasons to learn Python in 2024:
1. Data Science
This is the single, biggest reason why many programmers are learning Python in 2024. I know many of my friends who are bored with their Java programming jobs in Investment banks are learning Python on Udemy to make a career in Data Science due to exciting work and high pay.
But, what makes Python a preferred language for Data Science and Machine Learning? Didn’t R was considered best for that not too long ago? Well, I think the libraries and framework Python offers, like Pandas, PyBrain, NumPy, and PyMySQL on AI, DataScience, and Machine learning, are one of those reasons.
Another reason is diversity; Python experience allows you to do a lot more than R like you can create scripts to automate stuff, go into web development, and so much more.
If you are interested in becoming a Data Scientist in 2024 and looking for pointers, I suggest you check out Data Science, Deep Learning, & Machine Learning with Python course on Udemy. I have purchased this course, and it’s one of the awesome resources. You can get it in less than $10 sometimes.
2. Machine Learning
This is another reason why programmers are learning Python in 2024. The growth of machine learning is phenomenal in the last couple of years, and it’s rapidly changing everything around us.
Algorithms become sophisticated day by day; the best example is Google’s Search Algorithms, which can now answer what you are expecting. There are Chatbots around to answer your queries, and Uber is totally driven by Algorithms.
If you are interested in machine learning, want to do a pet project, or just want to play around, Python is the only major programming language that makes it easy.
Though there are machine learning libraries available in Java, you will find more content around Python as the developer community is preferring Python over anything else on Data Science and Machine learning.
If you are interested in doing web development with Python, I suggest you to further check Machine Learning A-Z™: Hands-On Python & R In Data Science course on Udemy
3. Web Development
The good old development is another reason for learning Python. It offers so many good libraries and frameworks, like Django and Flask, which makes web development really easy.
The task which takes hours in PHP can be completed in minutes on Python. Python is also used a lot for web scrapping. Some of the popular websites on the Internet, like Reddit, are built using Python.
If you are interested in web development using Python, I suggest you join the Python and Django Full Stack Web Developer Bootcamp course by JoshPortilla.
In fact, there is a free Python course on Udemy, which will teach you that while teaching Python.
4. Simplicity
This is the single biggest reason for beginners to learn Python. When you first start with programming and coding, you don’t want to start with a programming language that has tough syntax and weird rules.
Python is both readable and simple. It is also easier to set up; you don’t need to deal with any classpath problems like Java or compiler issues like C++.
Just install Python, and you are done. While installing, it will also ask you to add Python in PATH, which means you can run Python from anywhere on your machine.
5. Huge Community
You need a community to learn new technology, and friends are your biggest asset when it comes to learning a programming language. You often get stuck with one or another issue, and at that time, you need a helping hand.
Thanks to Google, you can find the solution to any Python-related problem in minutes. Communities like StackOverflow also bring many Python experts together to help newcomers.
6. Libraries and Frameworks
One of the similarities between Python and Java is the sheer number of open source libraries, frameworks, and modules available to do whatever you want to do. It makes application development really easy.
Just imagine creating a web application without Spring in Java or Django and Flask in Python. It makes your job simple as you only need to focus on business logic.
Python has numerous libraries for different needs. Django and Flask are two of the most popular for web development, and NumPy and SciPy are for Data Science.
In fact, Python has one of the best collections of machine learning and data science libraries like TensorFlow, Scikit-Learn, Keras, Pandas, and many more.
If you want to learn more about Python machine learning libraries, I suggest you join the Python for Data Science and Machine Learning Bootcamp course, one of my favorites.
7. Automation
When I first come to know about Python was due to one of my scripting needs. I was working with an application that receives messages over UDP, and there was a problem, we did not see messages in the log.
I wanted to check if we are receiving any UDP traffic on that box and that port or not, but I couldn’t find a handy UNIX command to do that.
One of my friends, who sits next to me, was learning Python, and he wrote a utility in just 5 minutes to intercept UDP messages using one of the Python modules.
Obviously, I was impressed with the time it took for him to write such a tool, but that just highlights the power of Python when it comes to writing scripts, tools, and automating stuff.
If you seriously want to know how much Python helps with automation, my favorite place is the Automate the boring stuff with Python book, simply an awesome book.
8. Multipurpose
One of the things I like about Python is its Swiss Army knife nature. It’s not tied to just one thing, e.g. R, which is good in Data Science and Machine learning but nowhere when it comes to web development. Learning Python means you can do many things.
You can create your web applications using Django and Flask, Can do Data Analysis using NumPy, Scipy, Scikit-Learn, and NLTK.
At a bare minimum, you can use Python to write scripts to automate many of your days to day tasks.
9. Jobs and Growth
Python is growing really fast and big time, and it makes a lot of sense to learn a growing programming major programming language if you are just starting your programming career.
It not only help you to get a job quickly but also it will also accelerate your career growth. IMHO, for beginners, after simplicity, this should be the most important reason to learn Python.
You can see in below Google trend query that trend for Python jobs in last 5 years is much more than Java Jobs or JavaScript jobs. Blue color represent Python jobs, red color represent Java jobs and Yello color line represent JavaScript jobs worldwide.
10. Salary
Python developers are one of the highest-paid developers, particularly in Data Science, Machine learning, and web development.
On average, also, they are very good-paying, ranging from 70,000 USD to 150,000 USD depending upon their experience, location, and domain.
If you are interested in learning more about high-paying technology jobs, I suggest checking my earlier post about the ten highest-paid technology jobs for Software Engineers.
Best Resources to Learn Python in 2024
If you decide to learn Python in 2024, then here are some of the useful Python books, courses, and tutorials to start your journey in the beautiful world of Python.
- The Complete Python Masterclass
- The Python Bible — Everything You Need to Program in Python
- Python Fundamentals by Pluralsight
- The Complete Python Developer in 2024: Zero to Mastery by Andrei
- 5 Courses to Learn Data Science and Machine learning
- 10 Free Python Programming EBooks and PDF
- Top 5 Courses to Learn Python in 2024
- How to Become a Python Developer in 30 days
And if you are still not convinced about learning Python then look at this image, it correctly shows the life of a Python developer:
That’s all about some of the important reasons to learn Python in 2024. As I said, it’s important to know programming and coding in today’s world, and if you don’t know to code, you are missing something, and Python is a great way to start learning to code.
For programmers who already know Java or C++, learning Python not just makes you a Polyglot programmer but also gives you a powerful tool in your arsenal to write scripts, create a web application, and open the door to the exciting field of Data Science and Machine Learning.
In short, if you could learn just one programming language in 2024, then make it to Python, and to start with, The Complete Python Masterclass is the best course.
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Closing Notes
Thanks, You made it to the end of the article … Good luck with your Python journey! It’s certainly a great decision and pays you a lot in your near future.
I have also shared some resources to learn Python for Data Science, Machine Learning, Web Development, and general Scripting work, so take advantage of that. Btw, I’ll also get paid if you buy any course which is not free using links in this article.
If you like this article, then please share it with your friends and colleagues, and don’t forget to follow javarevisited on Twitter and javinpaul on Medium!
P. S. — Do you Want to Become a Python Developer in 30 days? If Yes, then you can also check out the One Month Python Course by Chris Castiglione
P.P.S. — If you need some FREE resources, you can check out this list of Free Python Courses to start your preparation.
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