Uses of Python | Applications of Python | What is Python used for

 Uses of Python

Learn the top 7 applications of Python in the real world and why it’s one of the best programming languages today. So Uses of Python will be discussed in this article and I will cover the question very well of what is Python used for. 

Here are topics that I will cover all these topics. 

• What is python
• Why it is called python
• Python for beginners 
• Why is python so popular ( Reasons) 
• Top 10 uses of python programming language
• Companies that use Python (Top 6) 

Are you looking to learn Python but are wondering where this programming language can be applied?

You have come to the right page.

What are the best uses of Python or what is Python used for are two of the most common questions we keep on receiving from the readers that prompted us to put together to help our readers understand what are the applications of python in real-world scenarios?

First of all, congratulations for taking the step to learn this fastest-growing language in the world.

According to designers at Australian Writing, Python is used in a wide range of industries and scientific fields including medicine, web development, data science, computer science education, machine learning, game development, and many more.

Before we get into the real-world applications of Python, let’s understand some basic things.

What is Python?

Python is a powerful, interpreted, high-level general-purpose programming language. That means that, unlike other programming languages (CSS, HTML, and JavaScript), it can be used for different purposes like web development, backend programming, software development, etc.

The good thing about Python is that it’s open-source and is great for beginners.

Besides, Python can is compatible with all the major platforms like iOS, Windows, and Linux.

This makes it suitable for developing a range of applications including ML apps, gaming apps, enterprise-level applications, web apps, etc.

Why Is It Called Python?

If you’re not familiar with this programming language, you must be asking yourself why it is called Python.

Arguably, when Guido van Rossum was developing the language, he was reading a script of the sketch comedy television show known as Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Because he wanted to give the language a short, unique, and cagy name, he decided to call it Python.

Python for Beginners

Python is one of the superb languages for beginners due to its simple and straightforward syntax.

Besides, Python is flexible in that it can be used in a range of applications.

Python will also try to interpret things for you.

For instance, assuming we wanted to add two phrases together like Dog and Cow, we would use a plus symbol to have Dog+Cow. This is exactly how to do it using Python.

Why is Python So Popular?

Python is no doubt one of the most popular and fast-growing programming languages currently.

First, the language provides a great foundation when learning how to code.

This makes it suitable for beginners and experienced programmers.

Here are some of the reasons why Python programming is so popular.

·        It’s easy to learn and use

If you’re looking to learn how to code then Python is the best language to start with.

It’s easy to learn, use, and implement.

It reads pretty like plain English thus you can master the language in just a few days.

It has modest features that require little investment of time to develop your first program.

Its simplicity makes it great for teaching as beginners can pick it up fast.

If you were a developer, you get more time to think about the problem you’re trying to solve instead of the complexities of the language.

·        It’s free

Python is an open-source programming language that you don’t need to pay to download and install.

Python’s codes can be used by anyone on the internet.

If you’re looking for a programming language to use but you have a limited budget then download Python from the official website for free.

Besides, you can change to improve its features or distribute it.

·        Python is interpreted

This means that you don’t need to compile the code and run it as it is already interpreted.

Python is also easier to debug (while writing the code) as the source code is executed line by line and not as a whole.

·        Python is packed with tons of tools

Python comes with a plethora of built-in libraries of tools thus you don’t need to write codes or functions.

The libraries come with pre-written codes.

This helps to save your time and resources.

·        Python is a general-purpose programming language

You can use it for backend and frontend development. Nevertheless, it isn’t as supportive for the front-end as it is for the backend.

Other examples of general-purpose programming languages include C++, JavaScript, Java, C#, etc.

·        It supports different operating systems

Python is a cross-platform language so you can write codes for Linux, iOS, Windows, Ubuntu, and other operating systems.

This means that the same codes written on a Linux machine can run on a Windows machine.

This eliminates the need to write different codes for different machines.

·        Python has a strong community of its users

Every programmer can agree that writing bug-free code is no easy task. Unlike other programming languages, Python has a strong community of support.

In case you get stuck when working on a project, you can get help as the language has tons of tutorials on the internet.

This makes Python a great choice for small businesses or new developers.

·       Uses of Python in academics

Last but not the least; Python is used as a programming language for teaching students in schools and colleges these days.

As you can see, the 30-year old Monty Python-inspired language is gaining popularity ever since it was created in 1991.

That makes it a great choice for beginners and experienced programmers with various backgrounds.

Now that you know why Python is so popular, what is it used for?

Below are some of the use cases of Python.

Top 10 uses of python programming Language

Here are the real-world uses of Python. I will only discuss here the top 10 uses of python. 

1.   Uses of Python in web development

If you’re looking for a powerful language you can use for your web development projects then Python would be the best choice for you.

It’s one of the most used programming languages by developers globally…and for various reasons.

First, it comes with a plethora of web development frameworks such as Django and Flask, which speed up application development.

Besides, Django has dynamic development capabilities making it a great tool for web applications.

But that’s not all, the framework comes with a ton of standard libraries that provide more time to market the web application as less time is spent on development. 

2.  Uses of Python in enterprise-level applications

Enterprise or business applications need to be developed with readability, scalability, and extensibility in mind.

This is what makes them extraordinarily different from standard applications.

Typically, enterprise-level applications are created as per the requirements of an organization or business.

As such, they are required to integrate with other systems.

The fact that business applications are developed to meet the requirements of a specific organization makes the whole development process complex.

This is where Python shines.

Python has flexible, powerful, readable, and scalable features that enable developers to design fully-functional and efficient enterprise-level applications.

Python also comes with a ton of tools that support business application development like Odoo and Tryton.

3.  Uses of Python in Game development

The worldwide gaming market is currently valued at $162.32 billion and is expected to grow to $295.63 billion by 2026- and Python is one of the powerful programming languages for game app development.

This is because the language comes with a ton of useful extensions that enable interactive game development.

The two most widely used Python-based extensions for game development are PyGame and PySoy.

These Python libraries are renowned for developing some of the popular games such as World of Tanks, Disney’s Toontown Online, Battlefield 2, Frets on Fire, and many others.

Aside from game development, Python lets game developers design tree-based algorithms to design different levels in a game.

Besides, many game engines use Python for scripting purposes.

Machine Learning

4.   Uses of Python for data science

Many organizations of different industries and sizes including top financial institutions, big data start-ups, and many others are currently using Python to run their businesses.

In fact, in 2018, 66% of data scientists reported using the programming language every day.

It’s no doubt that Python is a popular data science programming language.

This is because Python is easy to use when doing qualitative and analytical computing.

Its plethora of extensions help with data manipulation and are beginner-friendly.

In case you’re wondering, data science involves mining information and insight from data.

Typically, data science is a broad field that includes machine learning, data visualization, and data analysis.

Let’s see how Python is used in each field of data science:

Uses of Python in Machine learning

Machine learning is the use of artificial intelligence to enable machines to learn from programs without the need for programming.

Machine learning enables computers to program themselves by the use of algorithms.

You must have seen how Netflix or YouTube makes recommendations of videos based on your watch history.

As stated earlier, Python is a simple language to learn and use. Besides, it’s consistent, independent, and comes with a collection of useful libraries, hence making it a great tool for developing machine learning applications.

Uses of Python in Data visualization and data analysis

Python language is also a great tool for data visualization and data analysis.

More data is being distributed out there today than ever thanks to the growth of the internet.

A recent study by Assignment Help suggests that everyday internet users produce over 2.5 quintillion bytes of data.

If used wisely, the mountains of data could help businesses of all types and sizes to make informed decisions.

That’s where Python comes in.

The programming language helps with data visualization where businesses can scrutinize huge amounts of data and understand patterns.

Using the available data wisely to make effective business decisions could help businesses to save significant costs.

Netflix uses data visualization to understand what makes subscribers stay.

Netflix saves $1B per year by incorporating the findings from data visualization into their algorithms.

5.    Uses of Python in education programs and training courses

As stated above, Python is designed with beginners in mind. It has a straightforward syntax that’s much like plain English.

Learning and using Python is also quick and easy hence it’s used in education programs and training courses for both beginners and experienced professionals.

6.   Uses of Python in Operating systems development

Python combined with other programming languages can be used to design and develop operating systems.

7.  Uses of Python in web scraping applications

Web scraping helps to gather data that could be used to make informed business decisions.

But with the mountains of data available on the internet today, getting extracting data from websites and web pages cannot work.

Unless you have a team of experts- which could also be costly on your side, assuming you hire expert web scrappers.

This is where Python becomes useful.

It is a powerful tool for developing applications that help in mining data from websites automatically.

Python does web scraping using its sophisticated tools and features like Selenium, Pandas, Beautiful Soup, etc.

The data extracted can be used in different real-world scenarios such as price comparison, job listings, etc.

As you can see, you can use Python to do almost anything due to the reasons shared above.

Undoubtedly, Python is becoming a popular platform for building all kinds of applications.

Still not convinced?

Here is a video that will give you an overview of the uses of Python

Take a look at companies that use Python below.

Companies that use python language (Top 6)

Python is only popular among developers. Due to its versatility, Python is used by companies of all types and industries.

Statistics suggest that over 160,732 companies use Python.

Below are some of the huge tech giants that use Python.

Google 

Python is Google's official programming language.

As one of the giant tech companies out there, it uses more than one programming language for different purposes.

The company uses C++, Go, Java, but Python is used majorly in app development and support.

In fact, according to Peter Norvig, the Director of Research at Google Inc, Python has been and remains an important part of Google, as the company continues to grow.

Many Google engineers use Python.

Python is used at Google in the areas of machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc.

Dropbox

 The Dropbox is a file hosting service for all your docs, videos, photos, files, etc. whose entire stack was written in Python.

Dropbox hired the Python creator, Guido van Rossum as their engineer who made it possible to share files between Dropbox users.

Dropbox doesn’t have open source libraries though but the release of an API written in Python shows that a huge amount of server-side coding is written in Python.

Netflix

As stated earlier, python has a collection of libraries and tools. Given how big Netflix is, the company has a ton of systems running.

The internet television network uses Python to analyze alerts, enhance the security of the system, and analyze data reports.

The company also uses machine learning to analyze movies, optimize steaming based on watch history.

Python is majorly used in:

• Operations. NumPy and SciPy are the libraries Python uses to perform numerical analysis.
• Security. Automation of security, vulnerability identification, risk classification, etc.
• Machine learning. Python enables Netflix algorithms to recommend videos based on watching history.

Even though Netflix gives their developers the freedom to choose the technologies best suited for the job, many turn to Python as it is succinct, straightforward, and comes with a ton of libraries.

Instagram 

Instagram is the world’s largest image and video-sharing platform currently. The platform uses Python on its backend.

In 2017, Instagram is believed to have switched to Python 3 which it currently uses fully, relying on the Django web framework.

According to one of their Instagram engineering team, the platform uses Python due to its efficiency, simplicity, and practicality.

Since Instagram is a fast-growing platform, most of Python’s features are extremely important.

Spotify

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that stores millions of songs.

The service uses a ton of data (for over 150 million subscribers) that needs to be visualized and analyzed constantly. This is where Python comes in.

Python is used to analyze data on the app’s backend.

Spotify uses Hadoop for big data and Luigi coordinates with Hadoop.

Luigi helps to make the libraries function together and gathers error logs to fix bugs quickly.

The Spotify website is built using WordPress but the app is designed with Python.

Stripe

Stripe is a Fintech startup that facilitates payments over the web.

The company makes it easy for businesses to perform financial transactions online.

Most of the services offered by Stripe include fraud prevention, invoicing, and subscription management.

The company employs Python to design APIs that can be incorporated into mobile applications and websites.

Stripe chooses Python due to the efficiency of the language in financial tasks.

Final Thoughts

So there you have the uses of Python language.

In summary, Python is used in different areas including but not limited to:

• Web development.
• Enterprise-level applications.
• Game development.
• Python for data science.
• Education programs and training courses.
• Operating systems development.
• Web scraping applications.

As you can see, developers can use Python for a range of applications in almost any industry.

Today, many developers have switched to using Python because it’s:

• It’s easy to learn and use
• It’s free
• Interpreted
• Comes with a ton of libraries and tools
• General-purpose programming language
• It supports different operating systems
• It is used in academics
• Has a strong community

If you’re interested in any of the areas listed above, then you should learn Python to simply running of your projects.

 

Author Bio:

Susanna Balashova is a professional web and app developer who is interested in the Python programming language. He also offers essay writing services. You can reach out to Susanna on Twitter or LinkedIn.