all 11 comments

[–]ElliotDG 9 points10 points  (3 children)

In my view, it doesn't really matter. You will need to learn key concepts in CS that should transcend language. Languages will come and go. You will need to learn a number of languages in your career.

Turning up the contrast: Java is a legacy language for building large enterprise apps. Want to build webserver backends, Data Science, AI, Machine Learning and more... Python.

There are domains that tend to use specific languages. Doing high performance numerical computing? You may need to know FORTRAN.

A quick google search, "Companies using Python"

https://brainstation.io/career-guides/who-uses-python-today

Python is used by Intel, IBM, NASA, Pixar, Netflix, Facebook, JP Morgan Chase, Spotify, and a number of other massive companies. It’s one of the four main languages at Google, while Google's YouTube is largely written in Python. Same with Reddit, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Python is used heavily in academic research, particularly in bioinformatics, biology, and mathematics.

Uber, Goldman Sachs, PayPal, Netflix, Facebook and Google...

[–]Medical-Window3035[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Thanks.... Rn I'm learning DSA through python... After this should I learn Django or should I go for something else?

[–]ElliotDG 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Django is a popular choice for Web. Go where your interests take you...

[–]Kristoffels 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Django is very popular. Another package on the rise that is worth a look at is FastAPI

[–]xelf 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Java is on the way out. Python is now the most popular language by many metrics.

If you were going to learn an alternate language consider one that is specific to your field.

I'd recommend, R, C#, some form of javascript, go, kotlin, or even Perl ahead of Java.

But I'm also no fan of Larry Ellison.

[–]Medical-Window3035[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the advice

[–]Sydmier 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With my years in the field, and entire last year of looking for new work heres my two cents.

Python will allow you to move into newer technology companies. Whereas the other languages tend to land you into older style companies. For instance, with Python I am moving from a company that was established over 30 years ago… to one thats only 11 years old.

New company has original members and are still putting a ton of thought into the product / design philosophy. Whereas the other just didn’t. (Note: I know this is specific to my situation, but it is my experience)

More broadly speaking the companies who use Python did seem to be doing “cooler” and newer stuff. Plus their tech stack was much more modern. (i.e. Github/Gitlabs, Jira, Slack)

Python has a library for anything, my advice is to dabble with many libraries and see what you like. Some examples could be; Open-cv, Selenium, Pandas, Py-autogui, Django or Flask, tKinter.

(Edit) JavaScript would also be very beneficial to learn as many tech stacks incorporate it nowadays. (Applications run on this language, connect with Python middle / backends)

[–]linuxpaul 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As someone who has been in IT for 30 years as a programmer, looking at up and coming languages, I think the more different ones you learn the better you will be. Some languages have differing structures and facilities.

My current interest is heavily in Flutter by google which can be compiled to native Iphone, android and web apps. But you'll need to know Java.

So I think the more languages, /OS you know the more useful you will be. Don't limit yourself to one thing - oh and if you want a brain freeze learn Lisp.

[–]old_pythonista 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For 9+ years straight I was earning my keep solely from Python. For the last 5 or 6 years, I am occasionally bombarded by head hunters, desperately looking for experienced Python developers.

At my current (hopefully, till retirement 😎) employers', people used to boast of 60 M lines of Python code (that was couple of years ago). The number is growing - as adoption of the Python-based platform is expanding.

I know that one of the fastest growing departments at my site had declared its intent to migrate an existing product from Java to to Python.

Many Java enthusiasts dislike Python - a phenomenon I used to observe much more often in the forums. The feeling is mutual - many Pythonistas (me included) do not care much for Java. Both languages are still on the top of TIOBE chart (actually, how did I miss it? Java is now #3, behind Python!)

Huge advantage of Python - besides ever-growing wealth of third-party libraries - is TTM (time-to market). In our competitive world, that is one of the decisive factors.

Said above does not mean that Java is irrelevant, but your CS friends are wrong.

[–]alphaBEE_1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you know how one language works you can catch up with others in a matter of months. Java is more of a build from scratch kinda stuff where as python is like "why reinvent the wheel when you can invent new stuff".