In technical words, Javascript is a scripting language used to create and monitor dynamic web pages and content.
If you are new to the programming world this might go over your head. So let’s break down everything.
First come first: what is a scripting language?
Scripting is a programing language that tells the software to “do something”. As a result, you, the person sitting across the system or holding a phone in hand don’t have to do.
In short, they make things easier for users by automating the software.
While surrounded with apps, smartphones and websites you have probably forgotten the benefits of scripting you reap day and night.
For instance, any live changes or updates you introduce on your software is automatically adjusted as per your input.
Else you would have to go through a sequence of static menus to introduce any change. All this hassle is cut off due to scripting language in place.
Javascript is one such scripting language to provide dynamic functionality to the software.
Like other languages, Javascript doesn’t require any compiler or interpreter to run its files. It simply runs on the browser.
Being designed back in 1994, this scripting language is quite popular till today.
The main function of Javascript is to develop dynamic web pages that make the interaction between the user and the server excellent.
No wonder why big players like Facebook and Twitter rely on Javascript on their web pages for a dynamic interface.
However, Javascript is not just used to build web pages but also used to manage database, build 3d games and more such purposes.
Python is an object-oriented, high-level programing language with dynamic semantics.
Wondering, what does this mean?
Okay, so let’s break it down and understand Python in layman’s language.
Like many, Python is one of the programming languages. It is known as an object-oriented programming language.
As an object-oriented language, it lets the developers build sites and apps with virtual building blocks ( i.e objects).
Object-oriented programming is one in which programs are designed around data or objects instead of functions or logic.
Python, like other object-oriented languages allow programmers to design virtual objects in their code and give each object unique attributes.
Once the developer creates an object it is able to interact or perform actions on their own.
Well, the object ranges a lot of things. Starting from the physical entities like a human being who will be described by properties like name and address down to computer programs like widgets.
This range allows developers to use varied program styles for simple and complex programs.
These different programming styles include functional programming, imperative programming and procedural programming.
This is also a foundational difference when Python vs Javascript is debated.
Javascript is a scripting language whereas Python is a group of coding languages known as “object-oriented languages”.
Imagine, an object like a virtual set of building blocks. Every block (or object) is different due to its shape, size and type of behaviour.
Each and every block is assigned with a unique function. The developer can give instructions to the group of objects to perform a particular task.
For instance: a group of “A” blocks is instructed to build a tower while the second group, say “B”, is commanded to build steps that will lead to the first floor of the tower.
Now, can you imagine the levels of complexity this programing language would have given to the developers?
That’s where Python gets a lead. It reduces the complexity for the developers.
How?
By mimicking the objects of the real world and giving the developers a clear set of work structure.
These objects can be created separately from the rest of the code. Making it simpler to place and locate bugs. What’s more? They can be simply reused once created in future programs.
Python is considered as a very sorted language after JAVA.
Python’s versatile nature makes it comparable to every other language. An experienced Python development company can help you succeed using Python. Aren’t you curious to know what real things created with this amazing language? Here you go!
There a number of areas where Javascript can be put to use. However, most of the people its common usage lies in creating a web page.
Yes, it’s true that Javascript’s are dominantly used for web browsers and web apps. But that’s not all!
This programming language is also used beyond software. Here are some basic things for which the language is used for:
This scripting language allows you to make the page interactive in ways that do not involve forms.
For instance adding animations, images objects or other such things into the page without any need to reload the entire page. You can also add responses within the web pages that your visitor would take.
This will avoid the need to load new web pages to respond. From using drop-down hamburger animation to changing the colour of a button when the mouse hovers over it, the list is endless.
One of the interesting features of Javascript is that it can be used to create browser games. We will talk about this later in this guide. But first, let’s see what can be Python used for?
Considering its versatile nature, Python is used for many purposes.
This includes data analysis, scientific analysis, machine learning, developing web apps, building 2D, 3D games and a lot more.
This is a question people are really obsessed about.
Considering the popularity of Python, it often assumed to overshadow Javascript. So why is Python so popular and Can Python replace Javascript?
Well, not really.
Javascript is an extremely common language.
However, if you are still speculating on this fact, consider these numbers.
Stack overflow recently released data says Javascript is the most popular scripting language used by 69.7% of developers.
Also, do what are the most commonly used web frames?
Data revealed, jQuery, Angular.js and React.js are the most common one. Incidentally, all these frameworks use Javascript.
So even after the multiple uses of Python, it only stands after Java.
In fact, big giants like NASA and Google are boosting the demand for Javascript across borders.
Javascript is an extremely popular language!
It’s a proven fact. We have data to back this up.
It’s a high level interpreted scripting language used for web pages.
What does this mean?
Simple, if your web page is not just sitting there and displaying static information, Javascript is the reason behind it.
That’s not it there are advanced versions of this language in the industry like Node.js which is used for server-side scripting.
Clearly, it is the number one choice for developers.
But aren’t you curious to know what really makes this language so popular? We have laid our solid reasons for this.
Here you go
Javascript works for both client-side and server-side.
It is seen as a powerful tool as it works practically everywhere.
Finding it full of jargon? Let’s simplify it.
The thing is the website scripts run in one of two places: the client-side ( also called front end) and the server-side (also called the backend).
Here the client is not you or me. The client of the website refers to the web browser that’s viewing it.
Plus, the server of the website is about the server that is hosting it. That's how from browsers to powerful servers, this script works for all.
Result? It gives an edge over other languages that aren't so versatile.
Javascript has gained the title of multiple paradigm programming languages. Hold on, what do multiple paradigms even mean?
Well, when any language uses more than one paradigm or models of something it's called multiple paradigms.
This gives the developers the freedom to experiment with what they want.
Javascript is a multiple paradigm language that supports imperative, object-oriented and functional programming.
The programming languages are continuously evolving and making the competition fierce. We have seen how choosing the right programing language can make or break your entire project.
Javascript and Python are two commonly used languages today. We have also seen how Javascript is heading all other programming languages.
But what’s the future like? Who’s winning the race after some years. Knowing this can help you invest in a programming language that can give your software a competitive edge.
So here’s what the latest research has to say. Python is a general-purpose programming language that comes with multiple benefits.
This is ranging from web apps to data analysis. So don’t get surprised to know that Python can be seen for complex websites like YouTube or Instagram.
Even in cloud computing projects. It means anything such open stack, in machine learning etc. (basically, it can be seen everywhere).
Stackoverflow developer survey results in 2019 revealed that Python is rapidly increasing in popularity.
Same is demonstrated by Google trends chart. Here’s the proof:
As the graph reveals, Python search interest increased over Javascript during the end of 2017. Since then this programing language has maintained its lead. In just a span of 5 years, Python has shown remarkable growth. So
What is interesting to note is the future traffic for major programming languages.
Stack Overflow recently released its forecast model indicating its future traffic. This model indicated that Python would stay in lead against Javascript till 2020.
Why Python could soon outstrip other programming languages?
All these trends are indicating that Python is very popular at present and this popularity doesn’t seem to get slow down with time. But aren’t you wondering to know what makes Python so superb? Here are some of the reasons for Python incredible performance that’s making it lead the others.
One of the reasons why developers are using Python excessively is due to its simplicity.
No one goes for things that are complicated. This is what Python is winning over.
It is an easily readable and simple syntax that makes it liked by developers across the globe.
What’s more? Python is an exceptionally efficient language. Result? It helps developers to finish the work in fewer lines of code.
A programing language that lacks in documentation and developer support can impact the popularity of this program negatively.
Python has none of these issues. It has been in the market since 1990.
This gave it enough time to create a supportive community. Plus its developer community is really active.
As a result, anyone who needs any kind of support or hell can get it easily in a timely manner.
That’s not it. There are ample resources available online that allow anyone to acquire the knowledge of this programing language.
From official documentation, guides to youtube tutorials, learning to use Python language is really handy.
When you are working on complex projects, libraries can help you achieve the task with less and time.
It is another reason why Python is liked by developers as it has multiple libraries and frameworks.
But why are libraries so much in demand. Libraries are actually a collection of precompiled routines that a program can use.
Having multiple libraries mean that you have multiple routines of frequently used tasks. Result?
It saves time and offers cross-platform support, which is a huge benefit.
So when it comes to Python vs Javascript for web development, you know which one to choose.
Some of the popular libraries that Python has includes NumPy and SciPy for scientific computing, Django for web development, scikit-learn for machine learning and so on.
So can you use Python with Javascript? To know the right answer you need to understand the similarity in both languages. So let's move to the next question.
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We have fully covered the basics of Python and Javascript.
Are you finding the two similar? Well, indeed you would be.
So Are Python and Javascript similar? Well, it's certain to have some similarities between computer languages.
No wonder why some people find Javascript and Python quite similar.
So what the similarities between the two.
We know that Python can be used to create the software from scratch but it can also be used for scripting purposes. Similar to Javascript? Yes, it is.
In fact, the Python Software Foundation declared that Python can be used to fulfil two common purposes.
It can be used for creating an entire software, but because of its object-oriented syntax, Python can also be used for scripting task.
Sounds similar to Javascript. Again, it is.
Despite not being a bonafide scripting language, Python can be used for scripting purposes.
This is so much similar to the Javascript. That can be used for many more general programming tasks along with scripting.
So what’s the conclusion?
Well, the conclusion is that coding is not Black and white. It’s important to pick up a language based on its usefulness.
This means that if a programmer feels that Python will work well for scripting a project, then that makes it the ideal solution.
Similarly, if the programmer feels Javascript as the best solution for coding a mobile app, then Javascript is the ideal solution for that project.
Python: You need to install interpreter in the Python to run the file.
Javascript: This programming language needs no interpreter to run the files. Reason being that Javascript files can simply run browser.
Python: Its file can run on Windows, Linux and Mac. however to achieve this task one needs to download the Python Interpreter.
Javascript: Nothing of this sort is required with Python. It is platform-independent. This means that it can run on all platforms. However, all that this programming language needs is a browser to run.
Python: In this programing language, you will get it only with Python installation and call diverse versions of Python depending on the installation.
Javascript: However, in the case of Javascript, there is no inbuilt REPL. The reason is that most of the time this software is run on a browser. Though you can use REPL, if needed, by installing node.js.
In computer science language, a string is any finite sequence of characters (i.e letters, numerals, punctuation marks, and symbols). An important feature of each string is its length. This feature is used in programming languages to manipulate a string or query information about a string or do both.
Python: The source code in Python already has ASCII by default unless it is specified to any encoding format.
Javascript: This programming language needs to be encoded as UTF-16. Plus no built-in support for changing raw bytes.
Python: You will find different numeric types in Python. This includes things like int, float, fixed-point decimal etc.
Javascript: This programing language has only floating-point numbers only.
Hash table is a data structure. The function of this structure is to store data in an associative manner. In this kind of table, data is saved in an array format. In this, each data value has its own unique index value. This speed up the insertion and search operations in the data structure.
Python: This programing language has built-in hash tables called dictionaries, sets etc. these inbuilt tables can be used in the hash with keys and values.
Javascript: Contrary to Python, Javascript has no built-in hash table support.
In the programming world, inheritance allows new objects to take on the properties of earlier objects. A superclass is the one that inherits the properties of the existing object. The most common frequent use of this feature in programing language is to use it for deriving classes. It's done by using existing classes which provides reusability.
Python: This programming language uses class-based inheritance model.
Javascript: It uses a prototype-based inheritance model.
Code Block is an open-source cross-platform. The unique part of this code is that it supports multiple compilers. This includes GCC, Clan and Visual C++.
Python: This programing language use indentation.
Javascript: Whereas Javascript uses curly brackets.
Parameters identify values which are then passed and called a function. To understand it better consider this, a function to add 3 numbers might have three parameters. A function has a name after which it can be called from other points of a program. In programing world when this happens, the information passed is called an argument.
Python: In the case of this programing language, an exception will be raised if a function is termed as an incorrect parameter. It accepts some additional parameter passing syntax.
Javascript: Javascript arguments are passed by value. This means the function only gets to know the values and not the argument’s location.
In computer science, a data type is an attribute of data like real, integer and boolean. It is a simple way to tell the compiler or interpreter about how the programmer intends to use the data.
Python: Python has two similar data types list and tuple. What’s interesting is that Python’s list and Javascript array are a quite similar one.
Javascript: It has an inbuilt array data type. An array is a group of one or more values of a similar type. An array can be any type. For instance: int, float, char etc. In this, each value is called an element of the array. The elements of the array share a similar variable name.
Despite this similarity, each element has its own unique index number. This unique number is also known as a subscript.
In computing, an attribute is a specification. It explains a property of an object, element or file. For clarity, the attributes must be correctly considered as metadata.
Python: Defining an attribute in Python can be done using the descriptor protocol. In this one can use a getter, setter functions.
Javascript: In Javascript, objects have properties that can compose of underlying attributes. As a result, it lets you define a property.
In the programming world, a module is a part of a program. The programs are composed of one or more independently developed modules.
These modules are not combined until the program is linked.
One module can contain one or several routines. In programing, modularity simply allow the separation of the functionality in a program.
This separation happens in a program into distinct and independent units. Result? It ensures that every unit has everything required for it to display only that aspect of the program.
Python: This programing language calls itself as a battery included language. The reason being that it comes with a wide range of modules.
Javascript: This programming language comes with very few modules. Some of these are math, regexp, JSON. Plus, it also has the functionality that is rendered through the host environment. It could be a web browser or some other environment.
Python has the concept of the associative list. These lists are known as Dictionaries.
Javascript doesn’t have the concept of associative array or list.
Python: Python across the globe is considered as one of the most versatile programming languages. It is opted by developers for various projects. This includes Web development, ERP development, AI/MI/ data analytics development.
Javascript: Like Python, Javascript is also considered good when it comes to web development and ER development. The debate still goes on which one to choose: Python vs Javascript for web development. Considering the market trends of AI/MI, Javascript won’t be considered the same in the future.
The reason being, it's quite new in this domain of work. Whereas Python has already made its way in this regard and is regarded as the most chosen language for such projects. This includes data stats, numerical handling along with AI/ML algorithm handling.
Python is dominantly a backend language. That is the reason it’s mostly running on the server-side. However, it’s a backend advantage makes it a perfect option for mobile app development. That's also one of the reasons why it is considered over Javascript by many developers.
Javascript: However, Javascript on the contrary work as a front end language and as a backend language. No wonder why many developers opt Javascript. It is the ability of this language that it can be used for both ends. It's also a reason why this language is considered perfect for full-stack development.
The scalability of a language is analyzed by understanding how effective a language is in managing large user traffic.
Also, it is seen how these are handled by using minimal server utilization. But that’s not it. The scalability of the language also depends on the programmer's skills.
This means if he/she can write an optimized code that can be scaled, the type of language doesn’t matter.
As per this definition Python may be seen not as scalable. Reason being that it doesn’t support asynchronous programming by default compared to NodeJs.
But that’s half the story.
As this language does provide coroutines with which asynchronous processing can be achieved.
This means even if Python’s architecture may not be considered scalable as that of Node.js, this language still has the tools with which required scalability can still be achieved.
Speed is an important factor to discuss while discussing programming languages. So people often ask Python vs Javascript speed: which one is better? Javascript is an ‘interpreted’ language.
As a result, it reduces the time needed by other programing languages say java which would need it for compilation. The other benefit is that Javascript is also a client-side script language.
This means the time to connect to the server will be saved. Result? Speeding up the execution of the program.
It is one of the easy to learn and understandable language. Its structure is easy for users and developers to understand. That’s not it, the language is also very feasible to implement. Result? It builds up a dynamic content for the web by saving a lot of money.
This language is supported by all modern browsers, and as a result, it has huge popularity and seen almost everywhere.
It’s one of the reasons why topmost brands use Javascript as a tool. This includes Google, Amazon, Paypal etc.
One of the reasons why Javascript is used by numerous developers is because this language works perfectly with other languages. It is used in developing various languages due to this reason.
It can be easily embedded into any webpage or inside the script of any programming language.
As Javascript operates on the client-side, it makes the data validation process easier. How?
Well, in Javascript data validation is possible on the browser instead of sending it off to the server.
Also, in the case of any discrepancy, the entire website doesn’t need to be loaded again. The browser will update only the chosen segment of the page.
Javascript offers various interfaces to create catchy web pages. All you need to do is drag and drop components to get a rich interface for the pages.
Result? High user-interactivity on the page.
One of the boons of this programming language is reduced code length. Javascript enhances the performance of websites and web apps by adding a code that contains less overhead.
This is done by using various built in-functions for loops, DOM access, etc.
We know that no language is perfect. So after discussing the perks of Javascript let’s see the disadvantages of using Javascript.
Security sometimes seems like an issue with this language. Reason being, the Javascript code is viewable to the user.
As a result, it can be used for malicious purposes. Also, it is easy to place another code into the site by compromising the security of the data over the website.
Every browser interprets this language differently. This can hamper the performance of the code.
The best way to with this demerit is to run the code on various platforms before publishing it.
The older browser doesn’t support many new features, so it's important to check them cautiously.
It is important to note that although few HTML editors support debugging, it’s still missing the level of efficiency of other editors.
This includes C/ C++ editors. Plus as the browser lacks in showing any error, it's difficult to detect any issue.
Another high-level programing language which is rapidly growing nowadays is Python. Let's see the pros and cons of this programing language.
Python is packed with an extensive library. These are added for various purposes.
This includes code for various purposes such as documentation, unit-testing, regular expressions, web browsers, databases, email and more. Result?
The developer doesn’t need to write a complete code manually.
Just like Javascript, Python is highly embeddable. You can add Python code in a different language source code such as C++.
This allows us to add scripting capabilities to the code.
The simplicity and multiple libraries of this language make it more productive when compared to other languages.
Another reason for the improved productivity is that it gets done in less coding.
Internet of things is everywhere, that’s where Python gives you lead. The reason being, it forms the basis of new platforms like Raspberry Pi.
Today that’s a popular way of connecting this language with the real world.
The easier a programing language becomes, the better it is for the developer to work. That’s where Python takes the lead.
Unlike in Java, where you may have to create a class to say print ‘Hello Tom’, with Python, a simple print statement will do the task.
Thus, it is quite easy to learn and understand the code.
No wonder, people find it difficult to adjust to other languages like Java once they have worked in Python
Reading Python is similar to reading English. Reason being, it's not a verbose language.
This is also the reason why developers consider this language easy and understandable to learn.
Python supports both: object-oriented and procedural programming paradigms.
On one side, the functions help us with coding reusability, the classes and object let us align with the real world.
Python is available in free. However, the software not only allows you to download the software for free but also download its source code.
This can then help you to make changes whenever needed and distribute it accordingly.
It can be downloaded with an extensive collection of libraries that can help you with all the tasks.
Just like Javascript, Python has some of the drawbacks. It’s important to be aware of these consequences before investing in Python.
So let’s begin with the first one.
The language often results in slow execution. Reason being, this language is interpreted and executed line by line.
However, it's not a problem unless speed is the major focus of the project.
So if your project is flexible with the speed requirement, the benefits offered by Python seem enough to overlook its limitations.
It is very well known that Python is an amazing server-side language. But this programming is rarely seen on the client-side.
This is one of the reasons why not many people used this language to implement smartphone-based apps.
It is a well-known fact the Python is dynamically typed. According to this, you don’t need to declare the type of variable while coding.
It basically uses duck-typing. This form means that if it looks like a duck, it must be a duck.
The good side, it can be easy for the programmers while coding. The drawback, it can increase the run-time errors.
That’s all in the pros and cons chapter. To conclude this, I would say, while there are some issues, despite the fact that these two languages are good languages to pick up.
Its popularity and success are defined by many attributes. However, it's good to pick up after analysing the language from all angles.
Gaming is at present the hottest industry. No wonder some of the companies in this industry is ranking in millions.
The reason behind this hike is the advancement of technology that has hugely improved the field of games.
Today, we are standing at a point, where ideas are no longer bounded by the capacity of the process. Just imagine it and you can convert it into a reality.
All you need is to pick up the right kind of programming languages that can handle your any project.
Fortunately, there are hundreds of programming languages in the market. However, this can also lead to a great deal of confusion.
No wonder many people can’t understand which one to pick out from the lot.
The tough fight lies between the two most popular programming languages: Python or Javascript for games, which one to choose. Both are popular and in-demand at present.
The choice of the language selected can determine the quality of your product. If you are planning to step into a competitive world of game development, then this chapter will help you get some clarity.
Javascript: being one of the most popular languages, this one has left its impression in the game development world too.
One of the reasons behind its huge popularity is that it naturally works well with HTML and CSS. Result/ it is well suite for developing online games.
Also, Javascript works smoothly for front end and back end web development. What’s more? It has multiple numbers of frameworks and has an active community of support.
It’s an extremely versatile language and with the support of multiple libraries, it works smoothly for iOS, Android, desktop apps and on hardware.
However, in this regard, Python is also a powerful language that is used for online game developments. What makes it powerful?
There a number of reasons that makes it a good option for game development. The topmost is that it also runs on OOP (object-oriented) principles.
This is very similar to other languages like JAVA and C++.
That’s another reason why Javascript has proven itself to be an adaptable language that is used in a number of applications. One of the huge benefits that Python offers is its popular framework.
That’s called Pygame framework. This allows developers to easily create a prototype for their games.
Plus, Python is also fairly an easy language to learn with a significant size of online community there to render support.
Not many know but python was specifically designed in a way that it can be learned by anyone.
So many people from non-software development background have easily adopted this language.
When compared to javascript, python is found to be better-designed language.
That’s the reason which makes python easy to read, implement and designed compared to javascript.
Future software development will be enlightened with python. Reason being, it's the most productive, easy and interesting programing language.
Python is designed with an elegant syntax that makes it very good for rapid application development. Also, the Python code is short that makes it more productive.
The popularity of python is growing stronger with every passing year. One of the reasons is that it's far more intuitive and reads a lot like humans.
With the rise of big data and the Internet of things, python’s popularity will increase.
Why? Well, because this language is equipped with few great prototyping and analytics tools.
While the future of python seems to be bright, it doesn't mean Javascript will disappear. Let’s not forget javascript is still extremely popular.
However, with the new arrival of new languages, it's not the only prettiest language on the planet which is used to be earlier.
When released first, this language was exclusive. As it could be run inside a web browser. Result? It was adopted by people across the globe.
But that’s not the case anymore. However, with ECMAscript 6 update this language is getting stronger again. It resolved a lot of earlier issues and integrated many new features.
The popularity of this language is still very strong as it is used by billions on an everyday bases. This language can outlast many other programming languages out there.
Selecting a programming language can be tough.
Thus, the criterion needs to be set right. The first criterion in selecting a programming language is the type of your project.
For instance, if it’s a personal project, a good way is to select a language that you know better.
But if you are running a company, other factors need to bring in the focus before selecting a technology to develop a solution.
Once the right technology is chosen, then comes the second step: choosing the best tech partner.
Good software is designed to solve the specific problems of your audience.
This is where you need to spend time understanding what type of technologies are your competitors using.
What are your targeted audiences struggle points? How can the chosen technology aid in solving the problems?
These questions are important to consider to pick the right technology.
It is important to state the unique technical requirements needed to choose a particular language.
Remember, all programming languages have trade-offs. Thus the focus should be in understanding the client’s specific business challenges.
This will help you select a language that will best align with the individual needs.
That’s it! We have covered everything about Python and Javascript.
The difference between Python and Javascript language is very minimal.
This is also a reason why picking one language can be a difficult thing.
The language needs to be tested on various parameters like scalability, features, robustness and future trends of the language.
A good way is to begin by taking the real-time feedback of experts before getting started with coding.
Pramod Ary is the Co-founder & CTO at Justdev Infotech. He’s an entrepreneur, thought leader, and a problem solver. With more than 10 years of experience in the IT industry, he’s made it to a point where he can be called as a generalist who can contribute and lead in any technical discipline. He has significant experience and expertise in application, integration, and architecture.
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