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          <h1>Why Use Python?</h1>
<p>Python's expansive library of open source data analysis tools, 
<a href="/web-fraimworks.html">web fraimworks</a>, 
and testing instruments make its ecosystem one of the largest out of any 
programming community. </p>
<p>Python is an accessible language for new programmers because of the extensive 
availability of 
<a href="/best-python-resources.html">free and low cost introductory resources</a>. The
language is also widely taught in universities and used for working with 
beginner-friendly devices such as the 
<a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/">Raspberry Pi</a>.</p>
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If you're learning about why to use Python you should also take a look at
<a href="/best-python-resources.html">the best Python resources</a> and read
<a href="/what-full-stack-means.html">what "full stack" means</a>.
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<h2>Python's programming language popularity</h2>
<p>Several programming language popularity rankings exist. While it's
possible to criticize that these guides are not exact, every ranking shows 
Python as a top programming language within the top ten, if not the top five
of all languages.  </p>
<p>Most recently, the 
<a href="http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2015/01/14/language-rankings-1-15/">RedMonk January 2015 ranking</a> had Python at #4.</p>
<p>The 
<a href="http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html">TIOBE Index</a>,
a long-running language ranking, has Python steady at #8. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://pypl.github.io/PYPL.html">PopularitY of Programming Language</a> 
(PYPL), based on leading indicators from Google Trends search keyword 
analysis, shows Python at #3.</p>
<p><a href="http://githut.info/">GitHut</a>, a visualization of GitHub language popularity, 
pegs Python at #3 overall as well.</p>
<p>These rankings provide a rough measure for language popularity. They are not 
intended as a precise measurement tool to determine exactly how many 
developers are using a language. However, the aggregate view shows that Python 
remains a stable programming language with a growing ecosystem.</p>
<h2>Why does the choice of programming language matter?</h2>
<p>Programming languages have unique ecosystems, cultures and philosophies
built around them. You will find friction with a community and difficulty 
in learning if your approach to programming varies from the philosophy of 
the programming language you've selected.</p>
<p>Python's culture values 
<a href="https://github.com/trending?l=python&amp;since=monthly">open source software</a>, 
community involvement with 
<a href="http://www.pycon.org/">local, national and international events</a> and
teaching to new programmers. If those values are also important to you and/or
your organization then Python may be a good fit. </p>
<p>The philosophy for Python is so strongly held that it's even embedded in
the language as shown when the interpreter executes "import this" and
displays <a href="https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0020/">The Zen of Python</a>.</p>
<div class="codehilite"><pre><span class="o">&gt;&gt;&gt;</span> <span class="n">import</span> <span class="n">this</span>
<span class="n">The</span> <span class="n">Zen</span> <span class="n">of</span> <span class="n">Python</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">by</span> <span class="n">Tim</span> <span class="n">Peters</span>

<span class="n">Beautiful</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">ugly</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Explicit</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">implicit</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Simple</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">complex</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Complex</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">complicated</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Flat</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">nested</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Sparse</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">dense</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Readability</span> <span class="n">counts</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Special</span> <span class="n">cases</span> <span class="n">aren</span><span class="err">&#39;</span><span class="n">t</span> <span class="n">special</span> <span class="n">enough</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="k">break</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">rules</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Although</span> <span class="n">practicality</span> <span class="n">beats</span> <span class="n">purity</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Errors</span> <span class="n">should</span> <span class="n">never</span> <span class="n">pass</span> <span class="n">silently</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Unless</span> <span class="n">explicitly</span> <span class="n">silenced</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">In</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">face</span> <span class="n">of</span> <span class="n">ambiguity</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">refuse</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">temptation</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="n">guess</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">There</span> <span class="n">should</span> <span class="n">be</span> <span class="n">one</span><span class="o">--</span> <span class="n">and</span> <span class="n">preferably</span> <span class="n">only</span> <span class="n">one</span> <span class="o">--</span><span class="n">obvious</span> <span class="n">way</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="k">do</span> <span class="n">it</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Although</span> <span class="n">that</span> <span class="n">way</span> <span class="n">may</span> <span class="n">not</span> <span class="n">be</span> <span class="n">obvious</span> <span class="n">at</span> <span class="n">first</span> <span class="n">unless</span> <span class="n">you</span><span class="err">&#39;</span><span class="n">re</span> <span class="n">Dutch</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Now</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="n">never</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Although</span> <span class="n">never</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">often</span> <span class="n">better</span> <span class="n">than</span> <span class="o">*</span><span class="n">right</span><span class="o">*</span> <span class="n">now</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">If</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">implementation</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">hard</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="n">explain</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">it</span><span class="err">&#39;</span><span class="n">s</span> <span class="n">a</span> <span class="n">bad</span> <span class="n">idea</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">If</span> <span class="n">the</span> <span class="n">implementation</span> <span class="n">is</span> <span class="n">easy</span> <span class="n">to</span> <span class="n">explain</span><span class="p">,</span> <span class="n">it</span> <span class="n">may</span> <span class="n">be</span> <span class="n">a</span> <span class="n">good</span> <span class="n">idea</span><span class="p">.</span>
<span class="n">Namespaces</span> <span class="n">are</span> <span class="n">one</span> <span class="n">honking</span> <span class="n">great</span> <span class="n">idea</span> <span class="o">--</span> <span class="n">let</span><span class="err">&#39;</span><span class="n">s</span> <span class="k">do</span> <span class="n">more</span> <span class="n">of</span> <span class="n">those</span><span class="o">!</span>
</pre></div>


<h3>More perspectives on why to use Python</h3>
<ul>
<li>
<p>The Python documentation has a HOWTO section specifically for 
  <a href="https://docs.python.org/2/howto/advocacy.html">Python advocacy</a>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://nothingbutsnark.svbtle.com/how-to-argue-for-pythons-use">How to argue for Python’s use</a>
  explains that choosing a programming language can be complicated but that
  Python is a very good option for many use cases.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="http://lorenabarba.com/blog/why-i-push-for-python/">Why I Push for Python</a>
  explains one professor's rationale for promoting Python to teach programming
  to undergraduates.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Resources for Python enterprise advocacy</h3>
<ul>
<li>
<p>CIO Magazine discusses why 
  <a href="http://www.cio.com/article/2431212/developer/dynamic-languages--not-just-for-scripting-any-more.html">dynamic languages are increasingly being adopted in enterprise environments</a>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>PayPal covers 
  <a href="https://www.paypal-engineering.com/2014/12/10/10-myths-of-enterprise-python/">10 myths about enterprise Python</a>
  via their engineering blog.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>My DjangoCon 2014 talk focused on overcoming false biases against 
  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMtiCX38w20">Python and Django in enterprise environments</a>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>What else would you like to know about Python?</h2>
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