Written by Maddie Salata
With a user-friendly syntax and a variety of applicable use cases, Python has become one of the most popular programming languages for both new coders and experienced engineers. Released back in 1991, the longevity and still-growing popularity of Python code can be attributed to its intuitive structure and versatility, as it’s used for projects large and small across many industries.
As software engineering continues to grow, Python can be counted on as a foundational language to learn if you’re launching a new career or looking to add to your skillset on the job. In this article, we’ll dive into Python’s benefits and why it continues to gain traction in 2023.
The benefits of Python code for beginners & beyond
According to the 2022 Stack Overflow developer survey, Python is the fourth most popular programming language overall, but it’s nearly tied with HTML and JavaScript for the most popular among those specifically learning to code. One big reason for this is that Python is very user-friendly.
Python code is written in plain syntax, which makes it easy to write and understand compared to other programming languages. Python allows you to create complex applications while keeping the syntax concise and easy to decipher, which helps you as an individual programmer, as well as someone collaborating on projects as a member of a software development team.
Another benefit is that Python is an interpreted programming language, which means that it reads code line-by-line, alerting you to errors and allowing you to make edits and adjustments at the moment instead of waiting to run an entire block of code. This helps beginners learn from mistakes efficiently and helps experienced coders catch issues quickly.
Python’s versatility means impact across industries
Web development isn’t Python’s only strength. It’s also used for:
- Data science and machine learning
- Data visualization
- Text and data manipulation
- 2D and 3D graphics and games
- DevOps and system administration
- Robotics and embedded systems
By adding Python code to your repertoire, you can open yourself up to expanded new career opportunities and could increase your earning potential – especially considering that companies spanning education, healthcare, finance, renewable energy, and many others are looking to hire versatile engineers who are ready to contribute. Having Python skills will help you stand out.
A global Python community
When you choose to learn Python, you’re gaining access to a community of programmers across the globe who help each other, host conferences, collaborate on code, and more. According to the Python website, “Our community can help support the beginner, the expert, and adds to the ever-increasing open-source knowledge base.”
And the fact that Python is open-source is appealing to many. It adds to an overall sense of community and of building things together. Python offers an archive of modules and libraries that act as both useful resources and inspiration for how to continue pushing the boundaries of the language.
The Python community itself is an invaluable resource that can help you achieve a long-lasting and meaningful career in software engineering, knowing you’ll have the support of so many around the world who can help you through challenges as you look for useful solutions.
Learning Python at Galvanize
Learning Python is advantageous for aspiring software engineers, which is why we chose to focus on Python in our Beginner Full-Time Coding Bootcamp. The curriculum also covers popular languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, but Python acts as the course’s foundation. After just 19 weeks, you’ll graduate from the program as a full-stack, job-ready software engineer, ready to launch your new career with versatile language skills that’ll serve you well across many industries.
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Our Intermediate Coding Bootcamp focuses on JavaScript as the foundational language. Each language taught serves an important purpose and makes it easier for students to learn additional languages on top of these.
