Startups have to race against the clock to be first to market and establish themselves as key players in burgeoning industries. Python is one of the best programming languages to use when starting a new business, thanks to its speed and ease of use—from learning to code to actual implementation.
With Python developers in your corner, you can quickly and easily prototype new products, services, and features that can give your startup the edge it needs to succeed, without sacrificing quality. In this article, we’ll explore five of the biggest reasons why Python is such a great choice for startups.
Python is Easy to Pick Up
Python is a language that was designed with programmer productivity in mind. Python eliminates much of the “ceremony” of other languages, such as Java. This means that Python code is typically shorter and easier to read than code in other languages.
Its syntax is much simpler than other languages and focuses on natural language—reading Python code is not that different from reading English. This makes it much easier for newbies to pick up and start coding with Python.
Because of how easy Python is to use, startups can get up and running much faster than with other languages. Python code is also written and executed much faster, meaning that startups can save a lot of time and money when using Python.
Python Grows with Your Needs
While startups race to be first to market, they also have to be careful not to bite off more than they can chew. If your product becomes too popular without the right infrastructure in place, it can quickly become unmanageable.
Fortunately, Python is a language that grows with your needs. It is highly extensible, meaning that you can add new functionality to your code as needed. This helps you pivot your product as needed, without having to rebuild everything from scratch, making the language a perfect choice for rapidly changing startups who need to be able to adapt their products on the fly.
Python also has a wide range of libraries and frameworks that can be used to quickly add new features and functionality, without a lot of extra coding. Some of the ones we used the most are:
- Django- for server-side web development needs
- BeautifulSoup-for XML and HTML parsing
- matplotib- for plotting graphs and charts
There are thousands of other libraries and frameworks available for just about anything you could need. If you’re ever stuck, there is a very active Python community that is more than happy to help.
Python Has a Strong User Community
Python has been around for more than 30 years, and in that time it has amassed a large, active community of users and developers. As an open-source language, Python is constantly being improved by its community of users who are always working on new libraries, frameworks, and tools to make Python even better.
This community is one of Python’s greatest strengths. If you ever have a question or need help, there is always someone available to answer your questions and help you out. Because of how big it is, it’s easy to find someone with similar interests, skills, and experiences in the Python community—making it a great resource for networking.
Not only is the Python community large, but it is also very active. There are Python conferences and meetups happening all over the world, where developers can share their knowledge and learn from others.
Python Is Used by Big Companies
While Python is great for startups, it’s also used by some of the biggest companies in the world. If you need any more convincing that Python has no problems with scaling, just look at the companies that use it.
Google is the main backer of Python, but Facebook and Amazon Web Services are also big users of the language. All of these companies use Python for the same reasons that startups do: it’s fast, efficient, and relatively easy to learn.
These big companies have put a lot of institutional effort and money into making Python successful. It is in their interest to make sure that Python scales well and can be used for a wide variety of applications.
Python Fits the Startup Ethos of “Go Fast and Break Things”
In the startup world, speed and agility are key to success. Python is an excellent language for startups because it enables you to go fast and break things without having to worry about too much infrastructure. With Python, you can quickly prototype your ideas and get them up and running in no time.
Python comes with a lot of built-in packages and modules that help speed up the development process. It also requires fewer lines of code to achieve the same functionality as other languages. This means you can get your product to market faster and start generating feedback from users sooner. A minimum viable product (MVP), for instance, can be put together in a matter of weeks with Python—compared to months with a language like C++!
Startups need speed, versatility, and access to top-notch frameworks and libraries from their programming language, and Python provides all of that with ease. Combined with Python’s user-friendliness and vibrant community, it’s no wonder that this programming language is expected to be a favorite among startups for years to come.
