Python and JavaScript are both popular programming languages used by developers. Even though they have a lot of similarities, they also have substantial differences.
Understanding Python
Python is a programming language created to read and implement with ease. It features object-orientated design and dynamic semantics. Its scripting language is used to create web applications like Perl and Ruby, and it uses a variety of programming styles for developing all types of programs, whether simple or complex.
Python comes with a wide range of modules and supports programming paradigms like functional programming, imperative programming, object-oriented programming, and procedural programming.
Understanding JavaScript
JavaScript offers full-stacked development and can be used for backend and front-end development. The object-oriented programming language is standardized in the ECMAScript language specification and helps create dynamic web pages and standalone desktop applications.
JavaScript provides programming paradigms for OOP and functional and imperative programming. It offers a dynamic functionality that CS and HTML can’t when used in a web browser. The favorite programming language also supports the building of standard web applications and beginners can learn a lot on the JavaScript website.
JavaScript is the favorite scripting language in the digital industry and is used by Amazon, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube, Google, and so on.
JavaScript vs. Python Comparison
Feature comparison of JavaScript vs. Python to make choosing between the two a bit easier. It is also not impossible to learn both.
Read-Eval-Print-Loop (REPL)
REPL comes with Python installation. JavaScript runs inside a browser and has no REPL. If needed, it is available with Node.js.
Mutability
In Python, there are mutable and immutable data types. Mutable objects with assigned values can have their values changed. The values of immutable objects can’t be changed. For instance, the set is a mutable data type, whereas the list is immutable.
There is no mutability in JavaScript.
Strings
Unless specified otherwise, Python’s source code is ASCII by default. JavaScript has no built-in raw bytes manipulating support and is encoded as UTF-16.
Numeric types
Python has various numeric types, including fixed-decimal point, float, int, etc. In JavaScript, there are only floating-point numbers.
Hash tables
The in-built hash tables of Python are called dictionaries, sets, etc. These can be used with keys and values in the hash. There is no built-in hash support in JavaScript.
Inheritance code blocks
Expect inheritance support from JavaScript and Python, with differences in their types. With JavaScript, there is a prototype inheritance model, and there is also a way to inherit from instances.
With Python, there is no way to inherit from instances, and it uses a class-based inheritance model.
Function arguments
If a function is called with an incorrect parameter, Python raises an exception. It also accepts some other parameter passing syntax.
The JavaScript function is not required to have the correct parameters. By default, JavaScript gives undefined value to any missing parameters, and any additional arguments are treated as special arguments.
Data types
Java Script has an inbuilt array type that is similar to Python’s list. However, Python also has tuple, which is similar to list.
Code Blocks
Code blocks are defined with an indentation on Python. On JavaScript, they are defined with curly brackets. Statement terminators also differ between the two. JavaScript has ‘;’, while the newline is used by Python.
Properties and attributes
Objects in JavaScript have properties that can be composed of underlying attributes and properties can be defined. In Python, the descriptor protocol allows an attribute to be defined by using its getter and setter functions.
Libraries and Modules
Python uses several modules and is known as a ‘battery-included programming language.’ Its various libraries allow the use of data analytics, scientific computing, and machine learning.
JavaScript has fewer modules. These include JSON, math, and date. All additional functions are provided through the host environment. This is usually a web browser, but in some cases, it could also be an operating system.
Scope
For those building a website or applying native application, JavaScript is ideal. On the other hand, Python is suitable for tasks that involve data analytics, math-intensive operations, and machine learning.
Conclusion
Even though each programming language has different use cases, both JavaScript and Python allow you to achieve almost the same thing. Both follow the multi-paradigm approach and are lexically scoped, with some small differences. However, both have libraries and extensions to achieve more than is offered with their in-built features.
Even though JavaScript has a steeper learning curve, both Python and JavaScript can be learned in under a year with a code academy program. Both languages are valuable and in demand.