Best Language for Mobile App Development: Python Vs JavaScript
Today, almost every business is developing its application to reach a wider audience and provide them with an enhanced experience. During app development, many organizations take choose the wrong programming language, which not only affects their user experience but also becomes a large problem and costs a fortune to businesses. To save you from this situation, we have decided to discuss the two most renowned and best languages for mobile app development: Python and JavaScript.
Python Vs JavaScript: An Overview
There are several technologies, or you can say programming languages, that have entered the market; some gained popularity very quickly with their characteristics and go unnoticed. Choosing the right programming language becomes an important decision when it comes to digital transformation or building an application.
Â
Python and JavaScript are two renowned and most preferred programming languages for developers and businesses. Today, most mobile apps are built with these two languages; choosing one between them is a very tough decision as both languages are pretty similar, but their use cases, syntax, and programming approaches are different. Let us briefly explain Python and JavaScript before doing a side-by-side comparison.
What is Python?
Python was introduced back in 1991, and since then, it has become one of the most preferred and reliable programming languages for developers to build robust and scalable applications. The main reason for Python’s popularity is its simplicity; it is very easy to learn, and even a newbie can learn Python development quickly. Within a month or two, a non-technocrat will be capable of delivering an MVP for their application.
Python offers a straightforward syntax which is easy and quick to learn and helps businesses reduce their app development and maintenance costs. According to a survey, around 80% of machine learning engineers prefer Python, which is a huge number. Below are some features of Python.
Features of Python
- Easy to Learn and Use: Python has a simple syntax that is easy to read and write. This makes it an excellent choice for beginners and allows experienced developers to write more efficient code.
- Cross-Platform: Python is available on various operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing cross-platform development and deployment.
- Open Source: Python is open-source software, meaning it is free to use and distribute, and its source code is available to the public.
- Large Community Support: Python has a large and active community of developers, which means that help is readily available, and there are numerous resources for learning and troubleshooting.
- Robust Frameworks: Python has several robust frameworks for web development (e.g., Django, Flask), data science (e.g., Pandas, NumPy), and machine learning (e.g., TensorFlow, sci-kit-learn).
Use Cases of Python
- Python is widely used for web development due to frameworks like Django, Flask, and Pyramid.
- Python is a popular choice for data analysis and visualization. Libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, and Seaborn make it easy to manipulate data and create visual representations.
- Python’s simplicity and extensive library support make it ideal for machine learning and AI.
- Python can be used for game development, with libraries like Pygame providing the necessary tools to create games and multimedia applications.
- Python is heavily used in scientific research and numeric computing, thanks to libraries like SciPy and SymPy and libraries for bioinformatics, astronomy, and other scientific fields.
- Python is used in cybersecurity for tasks like network scanning, penetration testing, and analysis.
Today, many big names use Python, such as Google, Netflix, Amazon, Instagram, and Spotify.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript was first introduced in 1995 and has been a preferred choice for making the web into an app solution. In layman’s terms, JavaScript makes website and app automation easier than any other language. In the initial days, JavaScript was introduced as a front-end language, but due to its versatility and flexible approach, it slowly gained popularity as a backend language in 2009.
JavaScript was first named LiveScript, but in 1995, Netscape changed its name to JavaScript. Since its popularity, many developers have used it for both creating client-end and server-end code. Today, developers first choose JavaScript to create an app from scratch or modify any existing application.
Features of JavaScript
- Lightweight: JavaScript is a lightweight scripting language, making it fast and efficient. It doesn’t need to be compiled, which results in faster development cycles.
- Client-Side Execution: JavaScript is executed on the client side, which reduces the load on the server and leads to faster response times and a better user experience.
- Versatile and Full-Stack: JavaScript can be used for both front-end and backend development, thanks to Node.js. This versatility allows developers to use a single language for the entire stack.
- Cross-Browser Compatibility: JavaScript is supported by all major web browsers, ensuring that scripts run consistently across different environments.
- Extensive Libraries and Frameworks: JavaScript has a rich ecosystem of libraries and frameworks like React, Angular, Vue.js, and jQuery, which simplify and enhance web development.
Use Cases of JavaScript
- JavaScript is the most preferred language for web development. It is used to create interactive and dynamic web pages. Also, the help of libraries and frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js make it easier to develop complex user interfaces.
- JavaScript is also used to build mobile applications through frameworks like React Native, which allows for the development of cross-platform apps for iOS and Android using a single codebase.
- JavaScript can be used to develop browser-based games, 2D games, and 3D games.
- Developers can use JavaScript combined with frameworks like Electron to build cross-platform desktop applications.
- JavaScript libraries like D3.js, Chart.js, and Highcharts help users create interactive and visually appealing charts and graphs.
- JavaScript is the best way to automate repetitive tasks in web development, testing, and data manipulation.
Python Vs. JavaScript: A side-by-side comparison
Now that we know the features and use cases of Python and JavaScript let’s compare them side-by-side and find out which programming language will be the most suitable for creating a mobile application.
Comparison Criteria | Python | JavaScript |
Applications | Preferred for Data Analysis | Used for creating web applications |
Release Date | February 20, 1991 | December 4, 1995 |
Objectives | A general-purpose programming language renowned for simplicity and readability | Preferred for creating web applications |
Designed By | Guido van Rossum | Brendan Eich |
Syntax | Python uses small syntax, which is easier to learn and has higher readability | JavaScript has complex syntax and is harder to read |
Learning curve | Python is one of the easiest languages to learn for newbies | JS is a bit challenging to learn compared to Python |
Hash Tables | With Python, developers can use the hash tables | JS doesn’t offer any hash tables |
Data Type | Python offers built-in support for tuples, lists, and dictations | Support Objects and Array |
Conclusion
Python and JavaScript are the two best programming languages for mobile app development. However, both have different coding approaches and serve different purposes. In this write-up, we’ve compared Python and JavaScript with their history, and we hope after going through the complete blog, you’ll be able to choose a better programming language to build your application from scratch or update it with the latest features. Along with the programming language, one should pick the right developers or developing partners to utilize the full potential of the programming language. Ftechiz is a world-famous and trusted mobile app development agency that has been providing Python and JavaScript developers for over a decade. You can also get a free quote and consultation from our expert to get started with app development and bring your vision to reality.
