Both Python & JavaScript are multi-paradigm languages that are high-level, interpreted, and dynamically typed. When finding out what to use, it isn’t that simple to select between either of these two incredible & extensively popular programming languages. However, with this article, we will highlight the difference between Python and JavaScript language. This makes it easy for you to find out which programing language to use and when to use it.

Key points of the differences between Python and JavaScript

  1. Syntax
  2. Execution
  3. Typing
  4. Purpose
  5. Libraries and Frameworks
  6. Functionality
  7. Syntax complexity
  8. Debugging
  9. Development Speed
  10. Performance
  11. Data Structures

What’s the Difference Between Python and JavaScript?

What’s JavaScript?

JavaScript refers to a scripting language that assists you in creating interactive web pages. JavaScript follows the instructions of client-side programming. Thus, it operates in the user’s web browser minus the requirement for a resource from a web server.  Furthermore, JavaScript can also be utilized with other tech including XML, REST APIs, & more. Presently, JavaScript is also utilized with tech like Node-js.

JavaScript is highly utilized in browsers that provide dynamic purposes, that can’t be achieved via normal HTML & CSS. Furthermore, JavaScript supports standard apps with text, dates, and regular expressions.

Basic Program of javascript

let num1 = parseFloat(prompt("Enter first number: "));
let num2 = parseFloat(prompt("Enter second number: "));

// Add two numbers
let result = num1 + num2;

// Display the sum
alert(`The sum of ${num1} and ${num2} is ${result}`);

What’s Python?

Python refers to a high-level object-oriented language for programming. Python has an in-built data structure, that’s mixed with dynamic binding plus typing. This makes it the best choice for quick application development.

Python language also provides support for packages and modules that enables system modularity & code reuse. It’s among the quickest programming language that requires few code lines. Its stress is on readability & simplicity making it a suitable choice for learners.

Python allows programmers to utilize separate program styles for complex and simple programs. Python was first made by Guido van-Rossum & launched back in 1991. This programing language can be used in various fields, from data science to web development, computer vision, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, etc.

Basic Program in Python

num1 = float(input("Enter first number: "))
num2 = float(input("Enter second number: "))

# Add two numbers
result = num1 + num2

# Display the sum
print("The sum of {} and {} is {}".format(num1, num2, result))

Performance

Modern-day JavaScript is understood for having strong performance, due to the presence of a V8 engine. JS was originally an interpreted language, but with the release of a V8 engine, it arrived with a Just-In-Time compiler. This allowed JavaScript compilation & the influence for optimizing code at compile time.

With this, performance will be increased not because of the optimized code, but due to compiling results with faster performance time compared to interpreting. Since JavaScript refers to a flexible and lightweight language, it is the best storm for quick compilation.

Besides having a V8 engine, JS also contains Node.js run-time settings. This allows JS to operate server-side. Additionally, Node.js more notably is compatible with multithreading (the ability to operate numerous tasks simultaneously). This is a crucial aspect that helps in making performance-heavy apps.

Python is stable, strong & readable, though it means that it’s slower compared to its competitors. However, this does not seem to upset its love & popularity, although it is not suitable for use with heavy-performance apps.

Python attains its readability by utilizing higher levels of abstractions & consists of stricter instructions around coding which means that it takes much time to interpret. However, these characteristics make it a secure language for huge CPU programs. There is no compilation choice, so it depends on interpreted functions that are slower.

Coding time with Python is quicker the reason being its syntax is very simple. One can code programs very faster compared that when using JavaScript. Python contains implementations like Cython and Jython which aim to increase performance, though overall it doesn’t reach JavaScript’s V8-engine level.

Simple to Learn

This point is more significant to people that are beginning to learn a programming language for the first time with no experience in coding. They require to start with a programing language that is relatively user-friendly & has a smaller learning curve. At this count, Python is far better compared to JavaScript. Python is designed to be beginner-friendly & utilizes simple variables & purposes. JavaScript contains more complexities which include class definitions. Thus Python programing language is suitable for beginners.

Scalability

Scalability is determined by two things. This includes its capability to handle more users & its capacity to deal with large volumes using less server utilization. Node.js is made for scalability & it’s compatible with asynchronous programming. Python isn’t compatible with asynchronous programming. This supports co-routines that, in turn, are compatible with asynchronous programming. Python architecture isn’t scalable like Node.js, which has tools that help it achieve scalability. Youtube and Instagram are common examples of applications that utilize Python & run at scale.

Strings

In Python, the source code is automatically ASCII unless an encoding format is specified. With Java-Script it needs to be encoded as UTF-16 & has no in-built support which manipulates raw bytes.

Hash tables

Python contains in-built hash tables which are known as sets, dictionaries, etc. This can be utilized in a hash with values and keys. Java-Script language has no in-built hash table support.

Modules

Python is also known as a battery-included programing language because it comes together with a broad range of modules. Java-Script contains very few modules including date, regexp, math, and JSON, & has functionality accessible through the host environment including web browsers or other environments.

Data types

Python consists of two similar data-type lists plus a tuple. Java-Script array and Python’s list are very similar. Java-Script consists of an in-built array kind.

Function arguments

Python raises an exception when a function is called using incorrect parameters & accepts some extra parameter-passing syntax. With Java-Script, it doesn’t care if the functions known with the exact parameters aren’t automatic any omitted parameter receives the value as “undefined”, & any additional arguments end like special arguments.

Variable Definitions

In defining a variable in Python, a variable name is written then (=) an equal sign & then the value assigned to a variable.

<variable_name> = <value>

x=5

The syntax in JavaScript is similar to that in Python. However, we only need to add var as the keyword before the variable name & end the line using a semicolon (;).

var <variable_name> = <value>; 

var x = 5

Inheritance

This is among the core principles of object-oriented languages for programming. The concept consists of a single class inheriting attributes & methods from a different class which is the parent class.

As stated, JS isn’t regarded as a pure object-oriented language the reason being though it presented a concept of classes, the language just supports inheritance by relying on a prototype-based inheritance model. In contrast, Python (OOP language) utilizes a class-based inheritance model.

Data Science

Python contains a bandwidth that processes & supports big data sets & CPU-heavy processes, making it best for data science. Python also contains fantastic support for third-party including Pandas suitable for high-level data analysis & data structure, Statsmodel for statistical algorithms, Matplotlib for making 2D charts, and NumPy for handling big mathematical functions.

It is a language for data scientists plus it comes with enthusiastic backing from programmers & companies that are eager in developing new tools which improve the capabilities of Python’s data science.

JavaScript doesn’t have similar excitement behind it, though have its particular benefits.

JavaScript contains asynchronous capabilities, thus its programs operate smaller tasks in the background at a similar time as the major threat. JS also contains TensorFlow, that’s great for Machine Learning & data science, and Node.js is suitable for real-time data & modeling, plus D3.js suitable for data visualizations plus interactive charts.

JavaScript’s possibility is developing infield, though presently it’s suitable for little projects as it cannot handle Big-Data including Python yet. JS also does not have similar investments from developers & companies which beef up information support.

Conclusion

The variance between Python & JavaScript programming languages is less. With either of them, one can do about everything as they share mutual things including lexically scoped, interpreted, object-oriented, functional & imperative programming. When other features are missing in either language, we’ve plenty of prevailing libraries & other extensions which attain whatever is required.


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Terry White is a professional technical writer, WordPress developer, Web Designer, Software Engineer, and Blogger. He strives for pixel-perfect design, clean robust code, and a user-friendly interface. If you have a project in mind and like his work, feel free to contact him

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