DEV Community

D.A. Kahn
D.A. Kahn

Posted on

What things can we (or should we) be using Python for instead of JavaScript?

In my day to day work as a web dev I use JS all over the stack, but in my free time I've decided (rather pragmatically) to learn Python.

A question for all those monoglot/polyglot pythonistas out there,

What aspects of JavaScript-centric frontend/backend web development could be done more simply, efficiently or successfully in Python?

Off the top of my head I'm thinking:

  • web servers?
  • build system tooling?

Top comments (2)

Collapse
 
nektro profile image
Meghan (she/her) • Edited

There are two very important things to take note of when picking between Python and JavaScript (and other languages in general but more so with JS and Py since they are so similar under the hood) is 1) your preference for syntax and 2) the library support for your workload.

JS and Py are both VM based scripting languages that are great for general purpose programming all types in today's day. However, if you are doing data analytics, machine learning, or other very heavy math intense work, I would go with Python. If you want to make a website, or a native app, and have a very easy time with object manipulation or UI work, then JavaScript if your go-to.

Web servers? Go is lot better than both. It's a new-ish systems programming language made by Google specially designed to be efficient for concurrency and parallel programming.

Build tooling? Any language really works here that gets your compilation and dependency resolution done the fastest.

Hope this helps :)

Collapse
 
roger profile image
Roger Stach

JavaScript isn't really that good at doing maths, Python have more memories on it's language.