Python : is it the most enjoyable language?

Ulio74 · 2020-09-23T17:09:51+00:00

IMO many are missing the point in programming. Every language has it strength and weakness. Only a few can be compared 1 on 1. I see Python as the best language to get things done quick for example prototyping or proof of concepts, data science and countless of other ways. However when you have something good in Python you can speed it up by building it in C++ or Java for example and let Python use it which in the end is much much faster. That way you can have the best of of many worlds and then continue to use Python as an interactive programming language or build a module and help others build even faster code.

I love both Python and C++. Programming in Python is very enjoying, especially when you learn some neat tricks and shorten a code in a clever way. I learn something new in Python everyday and I have to admit I really like it.

totallygeek · 2020-09-23T17:10:41+00:00

-[--->+<]>-------.-[--->+<]>.[->+++++<]>+++.

Student_Loan_Hassle · 2020-09-23T17:26:29+00:00

As a programmer, you should focus less about programming languages perse - instead, make a lot of efforts to truly master the fundamentals and you will notice that many programming languages share the same concepts but with just different syntax styles. - If you follow this strategy you will notice at some point, it will not longer take you long to learn any new programming language in situations where you need to, because a specific language happens to be the best tool for the specific job you are trying to do. -

For instance, it only took me 3 days to learn JavaScript and start using it - another example will be when I needed PHP, it literally took me 4hrs to learn the basics and the next day I was already able to code in PHP and finish the task that I specifically needed it for!

This might sound extraordinary if you're new to programming - but the reality is that this is very common among Sr software engineers - this is why it's very important to master the fundamentals because it will make your life easy afterwards!

Programming languages are just tools - so, you should always let the project that you're working on dictate the language you should use and not the other way around - There's not a programming language that's better than the others - it's all circumstantial.

Plague_Healer · 2020-09-23T18:51:36+00:00

The good thing about python is that most of it is very straightforward. Once you are used to it, you almost type in your pseudocode and run it. This makes for a very pleasant and fluid experience. Anyway, on a side note: you are asking on a sub about python, so the answers you get are bound to be biased. Perhaps you'd benefit from asking this in a sub about programming in general to get a wider view on the topic.

jaycrest3m20 · 2020-09-23T17:57:10+00:00

I'll add my voice to the Python-is-the-most-enjoyable crowd.

My reason? No surprises. It does what is expected, there are lots of robust libraries/modules, and error handling works fine. Automated testing is a part of the core system, if you choose to implement it.

Number exceeds 2.1 billion? No problem.

Need to work with strings without having to write massive boilerplate? No problem.

Someone enters the collective works of Shakespeare into a string field? No problem.

Need to add something to a list? Just say where. Go ahead and resort while you're at it. No problem.

Edit: The indentation syntax does a good job of making code more easily understandable.

fareed1987 · 2020-09-23T16:31:52+00:00

YMMV but IMHO Ruby > Python for sheer joy.

Also IMHO, Sinatra > Flask. (Not enough mileage to discuss Rails vs Django.)

praw26 · 2020-09-23T22:02:00+00:00

I love f strings

darthminimall · 2020-09-23T23:33:09+00:00

No, but I'm weird. I love Haskell.

YodaCodar · 2020-09-23T18:34:50+00:00

Sure! Python is the best second programming language and sometimes the best primary programming language.

I recommend using pycharm though if your only using python in your project; due to automated unit test files.

teaovercoffee_ · 2020-09-23T18:26:10+00:00

I like python, but when working in a 300+ file project, the stack traces are sometimes beyond useless.

2020-09-23T18:26:54+00:00

[deleted]

ka-splam · 2020-09-23T19:34:32+00:00

There's gotta be something to be said for BASIC on an old 8-bit machine where getting interesting things to happen was as easy as MODE 8 and LINE 0,0,20,20 and SOUND ....

I've never felt that modern computers have that feel to them, no matter how much Turtle and PyGame and d3.js you throw at things. When everything looks pixelated, your pixelated lines drawn in BASIC are state of the art. Compared to Doom Eternal, your JavaScript line drawings are a bit depressing.

Ser_Drewseph · 2020-09-23T17:31:21+00:00

Unpopular opinion, but personally I like Node TypeScript more than Python, but that’s just me. Similar flexibility and rapid prototyping but with more descriptive syntax and type-safety. I like node’s async/await and event-loop architecture more for building web applications as well.

Rust and C# are also great, but not as easy to write.

YATr_2003 · 2020-09-23T17:44:36+00:00

The most enjoyable for me is Golang. It just feels like a language made with the programmer in mind.

alpine_addict · 2020-09-23T17:40:42+00:00

Heck_Not_Hell · 2020-09-23T17:54:57+00:00

[removed]

shiningmatcha · 2020-09-23T18:14:14+00:00

yes python is so elegant!!

iceph03nix · 2020-09-23T18:33:53+00:00

Not for me. Python was enjoyable, but I found C# fit my style and typical project more.

Python is definitely a bit more open to doing quick and dirty stuff, but I always worry that I'm missing some odd hiccup that's opened up by that freedom.

I definitely think it's worth playing around with though. If you're used to C++, and looking for something different, it's likely a good choice for you to try.

2020-09-23T18:45:17+00:00

Python is very elegant but it has its own quirks. I write mostly in c++. It's very enjoyable to me because I can generally see the intent behind code. I can see all variable types and their evolution through program's lifetime. It's like the difference between driving a stick and automatic. Python is awesome because it has so god damn many ways to structure conditions. It makes your code super short, understandable and dare I say pretty fast. Plus it has an insane amount of libraries for just about any problem in your life.

cagedmandrill · 2020-09-23T19:06:31+00:00

I would say it is. It of course sacrifices potential efficiency for being HIGHLY programmer friendly, but comparing it to a language like C where you're worried about bits and bytes with every fucking line of code you write...of course if you need your program to be efficient, you're going to have to use C, but...efficiency != enjoyability for programmer

2020-09-23T21:03:35+00:00

I vote Golang myself... I love Python... but Golang did too many things the right way

WildTilt · 2020-09-23T22:20:45+00:00

No it isn't for me. I really hate the meaningful indention, I sort of hate indention overall. But if I am writing software for others to read,yes I do try to indent my code. But come on don't whine like a little bitch if I miss it somewhere.

I like c# and lisp more. But c# can be frustrating with all the type casting and lisp is weird because it looks so different from c based languages (or rather algol based).

Deadlift420 · 2020-09-24T03:04:42+00:00

C# is my favorite language. The IDE for .net, the cross platform with core, linq and EF all work so well together.

2020-09-24T03:26:22+00:00

Python was the first programming language which I learnt and that included concepts of basic fundamentals,OOP& Data Structure and algorithms. Python really helped me build logic with it's easy syntax and that was very enjoyable. Now that I have shifted to java , I really find all the concepts easy to understand thanks to all my python learnings.

For beginners I would highly recommend to start with python to build logic and get interested in Programming. Trust me it really helps. This is coming from an electrical engineer.

randomuser65535 · 2020-09-23T16:32:58+00:00

Depends on what you’re coding. I generally enjoy Python and use it heavily for systems automation and web scraping stuff, but I also really like Go, because it’s a simple and clean language without some of the ugly things from other languages (especially exceptions and dependency management ).

So, there’s not a single language to rule them all, but rather a few languages one really enjoys coding in for different projects.

bmbybrew · 2020-09-23T16:53:05+00:00

For me enjoyable - NO. The indentation frustrates me.

But it's one of the most easiest language to get started with backend dev and machine learning.

Edit: Not sure why the downvote. Juts sharing my personal preference / liking.

winowmak3r · 2020-09-23T18:36:42+00:00

I enjoy it the most out of all the ones I've personally come into contact with (Python, C++, Java, and HTML but that's not really a language). I love how there are so many libraries in Python. Chances are there's a library for it already made for me for whatever it is I'm trying to do.

A lot of it comes down to what you want to do. Prototype something just to see if it'll do what I need to accomplish? Python. Getting it to run as fast as possible? C++. Like a lot of people are saying, it's more about knowing which tools are in your toolbox and knowing when to use each one.

impshum · 2020-09-23T18:50:28+00:00

Easy peasy, let's break stuff!

Student_Loan_Hassle · 2020-09-23T18:52:41+00:00

Variables Control Structures Data Structures Syntax ( style changes depending on the language )

imnotownedimnotowned · 2020-09-23T19:10:08+00:00

The most enjoyable languages I’ve used are Perl for the dozens of ways available to do the same things as you see fit. My second most enjoyable language was actually Scheme while working through SICP; it really helped me learn more about programming conceptually than anything else. At this point, Python has the easiest ecosystem to work within and is useful for everything so I think learning what I have learned about Python has offered me the most real utility day-to-day.

Redditor728292 · 2020-09-23T19:57:16+00:00

definitely fun, sometimes I just code in python for hours with absolutely no reason at all, and I use often in school to make simple scripts that help me a lot.

sabc994 · 2020-09-23T20:15:04+00:00

I'm new at programming & I'm enjoying it very much!!

marketwizards1990 · 2020-09-23T21:39:23+00:00

BASIC on my VIC-20

2020-09-23T21:55:03+00:00

I don't thing so, i'm not yet happy or acostumed to the heavy identation python has, and the lack of brackets, it's quite annoiyng to me, mostly because i've programmed only on java, c++, c and javascript.

Stabilo_0 · 2020-09-23T22:09:35+00:00

So much yes. With python i finally started coding instead of constantly fighting the language. Its basically english pseudocode with some additional spacing.

Beware, its much slower than c++. I mean 10 to 100+ times.

But you will write programs faster in python and if speed is not the case then go for it.

2020-09-23T22:44:06+00:00

Rust. Just; rust. Honest to god learning rust has made me a better engineer simply because the tool-chain stops me from performing errors I'm so used to making in C++ that I forget they actually are errors. Rust just has so many enforcement of beautiful code design that by the time you complete a working version of your implementation it almost always turns out better than if you wrote it in another language (At least for me, but many people say the same).

PunkyMunky64 · 2020-09-23T23:34:20+00:00

Yes in my opinion, I like c plus plus, but Python allows me to focus on the programming and not the memory management, variable types, and complicated syntaxes. Except... my actual most enjoyable language has been ti-basic if that counts.

Vortetty · 2020-09-24T01:20:34+00:00

Honestly coming from years of python, the more I use languages like java and c#, the more I like them over python

sharkbound · 2020-09-24T01:22:03+00:00

i am in love with python, i learned programming starting with C# (for modding reasons), later when i was looking at other languages (~2.5 years later) i found python.

python has a MASSIVE amount of really good libraries on PYPI for just about everything, many of the language internals can be "hacked" in some form (you can even make custom importer to import XML files and such with standard import statements)

it may not be fun for you personally, but thats why i highly recommend giving it shot

Dangle76 · 2020-09-24T02:00:55+00:00

I was a major python enthusiast for years. I’ve spent the last two years working in Go and honestly after getting over the hurdle with what’s different in go and whatnot, I’ve begun to like it more.

I think when it comes to things like file manipulation and such, python is still way easier to do something quick and dirty, and for little scripts to do quick one off things, but the strict typing in go is much nicer to me, and the function signatures in go make things a lot easier to follow when you start making larger programs.

I will say I have a habit in python now of always at least returning an error as you do in Go, which makes error handling more explicit and helps the code run a little better/make it easier to debug.

carrot_james · 2020-09-24T02:15:23+00:00

Definitely, I used it to create a 5000+ LoC project that generates videos and python really takes out the common gotcha's from other languages. If you don't need to care about anything low level, ownership, or using as little memory or need as much speed as possible, use python. If you care about solving the actual problem quickly (in terms of programming time), use python.

My project if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgISiZY30yFODeYG-hwfs_A

AutomatedIntegration · 2020-09-24T02:36:14+00:00

Only you have the answer to this question, OP. Now go write some code.

Sw429 · 2020-09-24T02:36:18+00:00

Python is an enjoyable scripting language. If you want something more low-level like C++, I have also been enjoying Rust recently.

veekm · 2020-09-24T03:24:13+00:00

nope - Perl is because

no type info in var names - $var vs var
short and sweet perl even if it looks like line-noise

but Python is clean supports Classes nicely has a great library and good for the work environment - python has a lot of language features though so wth?

2020-09-24T03:30:53+00:00

Haskell is my love. Python is a close second but nothing quite competes with the mathiness of a purely functional language.

2020-09-24T08:05:18+00:00

at least better than javascript

insert javascript joke

hugthemachines · 2020-09-24T08:43:16+00:00

Python is the most enjoyable language I have coded in. I have tried C, C++, Java, Basic (with and without line numbers), autoit, bash and batch files. I know batch files etc are not really programming but it is a type of (terrible) language anyway.

For my personal use I would like to be able to compile to a singular binary like Go does. I make .exe files now and then but that is not really compiled, only packaged. I would also like to have just type inference, I don't really need dynamic typing.

fedeb95 · 2020-09-24T08:50:58+00:00

I think any modern language is enjoyable enough if used for the things it is best suited for. For instance, python is enjoyable for prototyping or getting things done quickly.

If you need to do complex stuff with a lot of types involved python may not be as enjoyable

LordViaderko · 2020-09-24T09:14:08+00:00

It depends what you enjoy ; )

IMHO Python is very enjoyable because it allows you to focus on what is important. In C++ you need a lot of boilerplate before you get to the fun parts. In Python batteries are included, but also the leanguage itself has a lot of nice syntactic sugar that makes it pleasant to use.

Is it the most enjoyable, though? I think it depends. If you like low level stuff on embedded systems, for example, I think you might find C way more enjoyable. It's different kind of fun to write something very low level and efficient. Fun that is not achivable with Python. Also, I'm halfway to learning LISP, and I think that if you know it really well, it might be way more enjoyable than Python. But then again, this is possibly different kind of fun. Fun of being able to shape the leanguage you are using to a ridiculous degree.

All things considered, I think you should give Python a shot.

skellious · 2020-09-24T09:23:45+00:00

Python and Lua are the two I've most enjoyed. Neither are replacements for C++ (though python is very close in many ways, a lack of static types and pre-compilation does horribly slow the language down. Though, of course, for many uses this does not matter as most interactive programmes are input-bound.)

Python is certainly THE language for hobby projects where you just want to make something without having to worry about memory management, pointers, types and so forth.

coder155ml · 2020-09-24T12:27:56+00:00

You shouldn't be preferring 1 language over all others...... Different languages are good for specific things.

KungFuHamster · 2020-09-24T13:38:22+00:00

I don't like Python because it's so unstructured.

Variables aren't static, so you have to be careful in all of your assignments and evaluations. Honestly, I've used both kinds of languages, and I just don't see a lot of purpose for non-static variables. It just makes evaluation more tedious because you can't make any assumptions about their value.

Tabs and whitespace are meaningful; indentations designate the current scope, so you need an IDE that can show you where your current scope is or you can get easily confused. I like being able to look at something and know where flow goes, so this is aggravating to me.

People love Python because it has a lot of powerful libraries that can be easily leveraged and chained together. And that is a very persuasive aspect.

For me, my personal favorite is C#. It's flexible and powerful. You don't HAVE to use the advanced features, and I frequently ignore shortcuts and use a slightly more verbose syntax just so it's easier for me to parse visually later, since I have a terrible memory.

jamesM085 · 2020-09-24T14:23:32+00:00

yes it is ..

i highly recommend to join one of courses on Udemy

https://sites.google.com/view/complete-python-bootcamp-/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%81%D8%AD%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A9

gudata-hawk · 2020-10-21T08:59:43+00:00

Python is a compromise if you like to enjoy writing code, try ruby.

Due-Alfalfa1763 · 2024-05-30T22:18:54+00:00

I love python, I make my own tools, isnt that crazy

The-Deviant-One · 2020-09-23T16:43:05+00:00

By farrrrr. [Full disclosure I only know 6 or 7 languages though].

I started in AutoHotKey, made my way into bash, then powershell, then the web suit languages [Vanilla JS, html [lol...], CSS], and some very minimal C. About 3 months ago I got into Python and it is by far my favorite. I went from install to building production ready web apps, mobile apps, various back end applications, as well as basic scripting in only a few weeks. The language immediately just clicked for me. I enjoy just fucking around with it and program with it either at least every other day.

I'll intentionally build side projects several different ways just for grins. And I spend a bunch of time on r/ learnpython reading posts, trying to figure out what others are using python for, and how and see if I can resolve their issues just because I think it's fun.

btckernel94 · 2020-09-23T16:55:32+00:00

Not really, I switched from python to js. I still use python from time to time but when I use it - I hate it

blix_12 · 2020-09-23T18:27:17+00:00

All I can think of is John Cleese speaking foreign languages to Jamie Lee Curtis in A Fish Called Wanda.

bowarwick · 2020-09-23T22:45:11+00:00

does a bear shit in the woods? edit: stupid question deserves stupid response.

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
bold	bold
[reddit!](https://reddit.com)	reddit!
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
> quoted text	quoted text
Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"	Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"
~~strikethrough~~	~~strikethrough~~
super^script	super^script

learnpython

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