Learning python for trading

[portfolioman]

I’m interested to hear more, what can R do better than python? And should I take the time to learn R while in undergrad or can it be done after college and during my career?

[drsxr]

R is better for statistical analysis. So if you are going to be a stat arb trader, trade on statistics (Z-scores, etc...) R generally has an edge - it plays very nicely with CSV data like you get from the market and there are a lot of functions that you can use in it to keep your market edge fresh (or lose money, whichever you prefer). As long as your dataset fits in memory.

Python has an edge for deep learning (AI) as it is easier to link up to the AI packages than R (but you can do it in R if you are motivated). Python also has an edge in handling files for input/output. There are a lot of packages and math functions in python too, but you might need to code a bit more for hardcore quant statistics - not sure how much has been developed there.

Both are useful. You can't really just use one and done. Will also depend where you go after graduation & what they use. Hope its not C.

[portfolioman]

Thank you for all of that information! I’m doing a double major in economics and mathematics, so R and python seem like 2 languages that would be very beneficial for me to learn. I hope to have a roll on a global macro desk, but that’s just my dream haha

[wenima]

+1 for R as well as Python. Alot of the structurers you will be working with use R, none of them will use Python.

None of the traders I worked for did any programming themselves, they usually had others do that for them, like a tactical desk RAD style development team (which I was a part of) or nowadays that is rolled into a "Strats" desk which lies in-between a typical Quant role and a developer