The rapid technological growth is opening space for various startups to establish themselves. Data analysis, mobile apps, and websites are a significant focus for most startups currently. Consumer products and services are getting granular, with vendors trying to reach their target audience. This is leading to the rise in mobile transactions through mobile applications. We must be mindful of software’s front and back end when dealing with mobile apps, web apps, and website construction.
Python and Node.JS stand out regarding backend programming languages that we use for development. This is where startups face a dilemma in choosing which one to settle on. Regarding statistics, 1.3% of websites use Python, while more than 1.9% use Node.JS. However, this is only accurate when we use the languages in applications other than websites. Some international brands that use Node JS include Twitter, Uber, PayPal, NASA, and Netflix.
On the other hand, key brands that use Python include Facebook, Dropbox, YouTube, and Netflix. From these brands, we notice that no language is unique to a brand. For example, some brands use both NodeJS and Python. To further understand the languages, let us take a deep dive into them.
NodeJS
Many people and not sure if Node JS is a programming language. And indeed, it is not. We can define Node JS as a cross-platform, open-source backend runtime environment. It majorly takes advantage of JavaScript to work perfectly. Developers started using Node JS in 2009. More importantly, Node JS runs on the Chrome V8 JS engine. This allows it to execute JavaScript programs in and out of web browsers. So, Node JS is an ideal tool for building scalable network applications.
Node JS features
Aside from its significant role as a backend, we can also use it in the frontend. Node JS supports full-stack development using an asynchronous event-driven environment. JavaScript plays a significant role in the serve. Some of the notable features include:
- It is open source
- Node JS uses one environment JSON communication
- It is secure and ready for enterprise deployment
- Node JS is neutral and thus compatible with other programming languages
- It is fast
- It uses the Chrome V8 JS engine
- It is an easy language to learn
- Node JS is ideal for non-blocking driven and event-based servers
- It is suitable for developing real-time apps.
Advantages of Node JS
As a startup, you can significantly benefit from Node JS. Some include:
- Architecture: Node JS supports both single and multi-threaded apps.
- Demand: Due to its popularity, Node JS has a high market demand among startups
- Full-Stack: Node JS ensures a similar language on the server and client-side
- Compatibility: Node JS is compatible with mobile platforms, and I/O-bound apps
- Easy: Node JS is user-friendly, making it easy to learn and code. Additionally, it will be easy to support, deploy and monitor.
- Performance: The V8 engine greatly impacts the overall performance of your application.
- Fast development: When working with Node JS, you will experience a fast turnaround time. The V8 JavaScript engine facilitates this.
Disadvantages of Node JS
Beginner and startup entrepreneurs need to know and understand the drawbacks of Node JS. This includes the downsides of heavy computational tasks. Node JS is famous for its good performance. However, you might find some challenges when it comes to tasks requiring heavy processing. Other limitations include:
- Skill shortage: There are very few developers that have experience with Node JS
- Unstable API: Node JS updates APIs without backward incompatibility
- Immaturity: Within Node JS inventory, you will find immature tools. This is despite the reputation of its stability.
- Computation: Node JS is not ideal for tasks that require heavy processing
Python
We have seen that Node JS is not a programming language. However, Python is a programming language. People started using Python in the 1980s. Moreover, it has been in use over the many years. With its growth, it overtook Java to take the reigns as the top programming language according to the TIOBE programming community index. This reflects Python’s popularity among various developers.
Python’s syntax is English based, making it easy to write, apply, and use to address different programming needs. In addition, Python boasts of wide community support with multiple frameworks and robust libraries.
Python features
True to its reputation, Python has far-reaching capabilities compatible with different scaling and development needs. On a day-to-day basis, you will likely encounter Python in web applications and websites. However, it is also essential in data science, desktop, and audio/video applications. Key features include:
- It uses high-level built-in data structures
- Its philosophy depends on readability and simplicity
- Python is open source
- Python is compatible with all operating systems
- They have comprehensive and extensive libraries
- You can work with multiple programming paradigms that include functional, object-oriented, procedural, and structured
- It leverages dynamic typing
Like Node JS, we can also use Python for backend and frontend programming. Therefore, we use the Python framework for frontend development while its full-stack property to develop backend applications.
Advantages of Python
Many reasons could be based on choosing Python as their preferred programming language. Depending on the side, complexity, dependency, and application of your software, the availability of libraries and syntax easy will take you to Python. SO, the general benefits include the following:
- Rapid prototypes: With Python, you can perform rapid prototyping, making it the ideal programming language for developing a minimum viable product.
- Development: With Python, you can reuse code and use modularity. It also supports test-driven development, making work easier and product development faster.
- Leading-edge: Python overtook Java as the current top programming language in use. It offers numerous frameworks and libraries to facilitate machine learning, artificial intelligence, data mining, and analytics. As a result, many people refer to Python as the language of the Internet of Things.
- Portability: Python is compatible with almost all operating systems on the web and mobile.
- Integrations: Python can easily integrate with third-party applications. This allows python developers to create applications that they can extend when needed.
- Library: You will find over 200 core modules in Python’s extensive standard library. Additionally, other libraries could be of use to you in your coding.
- Dynamic typing: Python code is beautiful, courtesy of its dynamic typing. It is one feature that demystifies it from other programming languages.
- Syntax: Python syntax has a clear indentation that helps developers easily understand the code. It also includes white spaces. Its syntax is also English-based, a universal language that most people can understand.
Disadvantages of Python
Despite Python being the top programming language, it comes with its limitations. Some of the limitations include:
- Threading issues: Python does not support multi-threading
- Not Natively mobile: We do not use Python as a native language for Android or iOS. Though we can use it, it comes with multiple user interface limitations. Experts do not recommend Python for games and mobile app development.
- Memory consumption: The executing of Python code can be heavy on the memory. This brings the need for developers to introspect on the memory leaks. Some may be due to the incorrect release of objects in different libraries. So, Python is not a good choice for applications that are memory intensive and use many active objects.
- High test requirement: Python often compiles a code each time you execute it. This makes it necessary to perform a test, thus leading to poor performance.
- Speed: many experience slow performance and low latency since it is an interpreted language.
Finally, hope you’ve got the difference between NodeJS and Python, to know more connect with Aalpha web development company!
Also read: Comparison Between Node.js and Ruby on Rails