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Deciding how you can personally benefit from Python

Deciding how you can personally benefit from Python

Ultimately, you can use any programming language to write any sort of appli- cation you want. If you use the wrong programming language for the job,

the process will be slow, error prone, bug ridden, and you’ll absolutely hate it — but you can get the job done. Of course, most of us would rather avoid horribly painful experiences, so it’s important to know what sorts of applica- tions people typically use Python to create. Here’s a list of the most common uses for Python (although people do use it for other purposes):

 

  • Creating rough application examples: Developers often need to create a prototype, a rough example of an application, before getting the resources to create the actual Python emphasizes productivity, so you can use it to create prototypes of an application quickly.
  • Scripting browser-based applications: Even though JavaScript is prob- ably the most popular language used for browser-based application scripting, Python is a close Python offers functionality that JavaScript doesn’t provide (see the comparison at https://blog. glyphobet.net/essay/2557 for details) and its high efficiency makes it possible to create browser-based applications faster (a real plus in today’s fast-paced world).
  • Designing mathematic, scientific,  and  engineering  applications: Interestingly enough, Python provides access to some really cool librar- ies that make it easier to create math, scientific, and engineering applica- The two most popular libraries are NumPy (http://www.numpy. org/) and SciPy (http://www.scipy.org/). These libraries greatly reduce the time you spend writing specialized code to perform common math, scientific, and engineering tasks.
  • Working with XML: The eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is the basis of most data storage needs on the Internet and many desktop applica- tions Unlike most languages, where XML is just sort of bolted

on, Python makes it a first-class citizen. If you need to work with a Web service, the main method for exchanging information on the Internet (or any other XML-intensive application), Python is a great choice.

  • Interacting with databases: Business relies heavily on Python isn’t quite a query language, like the Structure Query Language (SQL) or Language INtegrated Query (LINQ), but it does do a great job of interact- ing with databases. It makes creating connections and manipulating data relatively painless.

 

 

  • Developing user interfaces: Python isn’t like some languages like C# where you have a built-in designer and can drag and drop items from a toolbox onto the user However, it does have an extensive array of graphical user interface (GUI) frameworks — extensions that make graphics a lot easier to create (see https://wiki.python. org/moin/GuiProgramming for details). Some of these frameworks do come with designers that make the user interface creation process easier. The point is that Python isn’t devoted to just one method of creating a user interface — you can use the method that best suits your needs.