4 min read · Dec 7, 2023
In the dynamic universe of programming languages, Python stands as an intriguing anomaly. While renowned for its simplicity, readability, and versatility, it bears the tag of being relatively slow compared to its counterparts. The paradox arises: why has Python ascended to such unparalleled popularity despite this apparent performance drawback? In this exploration, we untangle the enigma, unveiling the factors that contribute to Python’s widespread acclaim, demonstrating that its allure goes far beyond raw speed. Join us on a journey into the heart of Python’s popularity, where its strengths and unique attributes overshadow the limitations, creating a narrative of success in the world of coding.
Reason 1: Python is a very high-level programming language that is similar to how you’d think like a human.
Reason 2: When a Python program is executed, the program’s code is not compiled, but rather is interpreted. At compile time, the program is not converted to native code.
Reason 3: In Python, variables like integers, boolean, and strings don’t need to be declared. The computer does more work than humans because they have to perform a lot more computations for every attribute access. Moreover, Python is very dynamic, which makes it hard to optimize.
Reason 4: The GIL(Global Interpreter Lock) prevents threads from simultaneously running in a process (an instance of the Python interpreter) because it determines only one thread can run at a time within a single process.
Although Python is very slow, it is still very popular with developers. Here are some of the reasons why.
The Users Doesn’t Have Any Problems
Most of the end-users don’t feel the difference between 0.01 seconds and 0.0001 seconds. When a program takes a little more time to execute, the end-users don’t matter that much. When the program takes too long to execute, most Python developers use horizontal scaling and solve many that would be created by Python and make the program execution a bit faster.
It is More Productive
The main reason for Python’s popularity is that Python programming syntax is very simple, has easy code readability, and its commands are more efficient.
Business Speed Matters More Compared to Execution Speed
Previously, computer runtime was the key factor and the most expensive resource. Now, the price of computers, servers, and other related hardware has declined and speed has become less significant.
As employees’ time has become one of the most, if not the most, expensive resources, companies are saving tons of money by reducing development time. Today, the cost of development time is more important than execution speed.
To achieve the performance level of the program as quickly as possible, we can easily scale horizontally, which means putting more servers online to reach it. As computing power and multi-core processors have increased over the years and are becoming cheaper, today’s performance and speed problems can easily be resolved.
In contrast, hire python developers has become one of the popular activities nowadays. As a result of the time you can save during development, the application will likely perform and execute faster. Not only does the shorter development process save money, but also improves it your competitiveness. Faster prototypes and delivery enable companies to innovate and get ahead of the competition.
As a result of a quicker development process, companies can innovate and get ahead of their competition. Shortening the development process not only saves money but improves their competitiveness. The popularity of Python is because more programs can be developed with Python in a shorter period than with other programming languages.
There are tens or hundreds of factors to consider when choosing a language for writing any type of application. Speed is certainly one of them. But, there are others as well, like language suitability. There are many Python developers and support options on the market because Python has been around for so long.
Is Python Suitable For Applications That Require High Performance?
The purpose of this post has been to discuss why Python is slow in terms of execution speed and why it is popular in the mainstream despite its slowness. But what if you require high-performance and fast execution speeds for certain applications?
I hope you understand why Python is super popular and the factors that you need to check. Innvonix Tech Solutions provides Python development services for creating web and mobile applications. If you are looking to hire a Python developer then we can discuss your business requirements. Let’s connect today.
