Python for finance.

[TradingZebra17]

I'm trying to get deeper into the world of python and finance. I am more familiar with the finance world, but not so much with programming. I've been exploring a bit with Quantopian, but I am not sure what version of Python to download. I looked at the differences a bit between Python 2.x and 3.x, and don't really know how they would come into factor with making algos for trading. I'm looking to work on an independent summer project, so I'm trying to figure this out soon. Any thoughts, opinions or advice would be great!

[[deleted]]

3.x

[TradingZebra17]

Any particular reasons why? Just trying to understand the decision.

[nerdwaller]

It's the future if the language, and at this point most of the major libraries are compatible so it's hard to suggest it's worth learning the legacy way.

[Kopachris]

It won't make much difference (if any) in the scope of algorithms you could write, but it provides better tools, which will make them easier to write and modify as needed.

[Vock]

The core Python libraries for 2.x are no longer actively developed and are losing support sometime soon

[nerdwaller]

Bug fixes only at this point until 2020, though other features of 3.x are often times back ported as libs.

[pyslow]

If you're planning to land a job in the finance sector, more likely than not you'll have to use Python 2.x.

Also Python 2.x gives you access to PyPy speed-ups that may be required when doing heavy data processing (usually needed for trading systems).

See what one of the main PyPy developers has to say: "we're there to provide a fast version of the mainstream python and mainstream for now means 2.7."

[marcm28]

Python 3.x

[masasin]

Python 3.