JavaScript and Python are two of the most popular programming languages among programmers and developers. It is easy for developers and programmers to choose Python or JavaScript as their default programming languages because of the structural differences between these two programming languages.
The purpose of this article is to compare Python and JavaScript. This allows different developers to choose Python or JavaScript languages for coding and developing applications. This article will answer the question: Which is better, Python or JavaScript?
What is Python, and what is its use?
Python’s capabilities and flexibility have made it a valuable tool for many scientific projects worldwide. This language is powerful, and you can use it in various fields, such as data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, computer vision, image processing, pharmaceuticals, biology and even astronomy.
Developers also use this language to build websites, which is why Python and JavaScript can be compared. Python is often used in back-end development. Back-end is a part of the web development process that refers to things on the server side and away from the user’s eyes.
Python is an interpreter-based, high-level, and object-oriented language that supports various programming paradigms, including structured and functional programming. So, you can use it to code complete software. Learning Python is very easy, and if you use plugins, logical programming support is also provided.
What is JavaScript, and what is its use?
While Python is used to build the back-end of the web application, JavaScript is used on both the back-end and the front-end. The application’s front-end refers to the components that the user views and interacts with. So, whenever you interact with a website or application, JavaScript is used “behind the scenes”.
Even when interacting with mobile apps, you probably use JavaScript because frameworks like React Native allow you to build apps compatible with multiple devices. Since JavaScript is a powerful language with many tools for building various web application components, it is continuously used in web development.
Our understanding of web pages changed forever when JavaScript was introduced. As you may know, HTML displays static content on web pages. CSS is used to design pages. JavaScript, however, makes it possible to create interactive pages, and that’s why they use it to design dynamic web pages.
Learn Python or JavaScript
Python and JavaScript are both object-oriented languages but very different from each other. In the table below, we see a brief comparison between the two languages, and in the following sections, we will go into more detail.
| Factors | Python | JavaScript |
| Release date | February 20, 1991 | December 4, 1995 |
| Target | A multipurpose language with a focus on high readability and simplicity | A high-level language for building dynamic web applications |
| Designed by | Guido van Rossum | Brendan Icke |
| Syntax rules | Easy rules that have high readability. | Native rules that are more difficult and less legible. |
| Learning path | Python’s learning path is much shorter than JavaScript, and it is considered among the easiest languages. | JavaScript takes much longer to learn than Python. |
| REPL | Equipped with built-in REPL and search-based REPL | Relies on third-party REPL tools |
| Hash tables | Support for hash tables through collections and dictionaries | There is no native support for hashing |
| Modules and libraries | This language has countless built-in modules and contains more than 300,000 libraries. | JavaScript has an extensive ecosystem of libraries and contains more than 1.3 million packages. |
| Data types | Support for data types such as tuples, lists, and dictionaries | Support for data types such as objects and arrays |
Python and JavaScript speed and performance comparison
Regarding overall speed and performance, JavaScript is the undisputed winner, faster than Python in web development. JavaScript is known for its high performance and real-time interactions.
Among other reasons for JavaScript’s speed, we can mention the multithreading feature in Node.js, and Python does not have such a feature. However, Python is a strong choice for CPU-intensive tasks.
Which is more popular, Python or JavaScript?
Surveys by JetBrains have shown that 65% of developers use JavaScript and 53% use Python. According to some surveys, JavaScript has been the most popular programming language in the world for more than ten consecutive years. It has a large and active community.
But in the meantime, Python should not be underestimated, which has grown significantly in recent years and become more popular than C, C++, and Swift. The main reasons for this growth are high flexibility, ease of use and the activities of the Python community.
Which language’s syntax is easier, Python or JavaScript?
JavaScript and Python follow different “syntaxes” or “syntax rules”. JavaScript syntax rules are similar to the C language, and semicolons and parentheses separate codes and statements. Python uses spaces to separate codes.
Additionally, JavaScript has automatic semicolon embedding, which can sometimes lead to unexpected behavior if you use it incorrectly. Python, however, is more restrictive, and errors are detected earlier. In general, JavaScript has a more readable syntax, but it is more difficult to read and understand. In contrast, Python’s syntax is easy to read and follow but puts more restrictions on developers.
Comparing the job market and the future of Python and JavaScript
If you thought that Python and JavaScript were limited to web development, you would be surprised at the wide range of usages of both languages. Programming languages like Python and JavaScript have become increasingly popular over the years.
Companies usually hire Python programmers for data analysis and scientific processing, and JavaScript programmers are usually hired for development purposes. Both languages have a bright future and have become vital in various fields, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things.
One of the biggest trends in technology in recent years is the combination of Python and machine learning. Most machine learning programmers use this language. Statistics show that nearly 70% of data researchers use Python to obtain information and make decisions. On the other hand, JavaScript is crucial to natural language processing (NLP) and chatbot development.
By integrating JavaScript and artificial intelligence, developers can build powerful applications that handle complex tasks such as language translation, image processing, and speech recognition. Below are some JavaScript and Python applications in advanced technologies:
- Robotics: Python is used to program self-driving robots and computer vision. JavaScript also helps control robots and develop web user interfaces remotely.
- Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: Using Python, developers can create open-source libraries for computer vision that detect and track objects. JavaScript is also used to develop web user interfaces.
- Blockchain: Open-source applications can be made with Python and JavaScript and run in a web browser.
Which is easier to learn, Python or JavaScript?
These programming languages are great for learning programming and teaching beginners. But it depends on what benefits you want. Python is designed to be simple and readable, making it an excellent choice for beginners. You can easily read texts in Python, and the learning process is quick and short. Also, this language is an interpreted language, which is one of the easiest options to learn, and it is easy to handle errors. On the other hand, Python’s standard libraries are full of useful and compatible features. A huge community of enthusiastic developers in this field can help you learn and use it.
But JavaScript is as unique as Python and has its advantages for beginners. Although the learning process of this language is not as good as Python, it cannot be said that learning it is more complex than Python. JavaScript focuses more on flexibility and functionality than on simplicity. As a rule, it cannot be said that JavaScript or Python are better for beginners than the other. Python is the best programming language if you are looking for a simple language to start your work. If you want to learn Python, you can choose the best course to learning Python for beginners, including Coursera, Codecademy and Udemy.
Which is better to learn, Python or JavaScript?
For the question of which one is better, there is no clear and exact answer. This is because both of them may be better than the other, depending on your needs. Both have many job opportunities. They are both easy to learn and have wide support in the programming community. Each has its own career development and is used more than other languages in related industries. You should choose a programming field and choose your programming language accordingly.
You can compare these two languages in terms of performance to find the most suitable one for your work.
JavaScript is the most appropriate option in the following cases:
- Development of web applications with interactive user interfaces, with the help of a wide ecosystem of frameworks and libraries
- Development of highly flexible applications for the web, desktop and mobile
- Write serverless functions and integrate with platforms like Google Cloud Functions and AWS Lambda
Python is the most appropriate option in the following cases:
- Rapid game development through modern web development techniques
- Building interactive chatbots and stock market monitoring
- Automation of repetitive computer tasks
- A powerful tool for working with image data, computer vision and image recognition
Final thoughts
Suppose you have to choose between learning these two languages. In that case, JavaScript is a better option due to its ease of use, dynamism and high comprehensibility for beginners, and you can find the best course to learning JavaScript for beginners. But if you want to focus entirely on back-end development, learning Python would be better. Before you learn any of these languages, it’s helpful to know more about programming. For this, you can read the article “How to become a programmer”.