In 2024, Python is firmly established as the leading programming language, and its leadership has been confirmed by the TIOBE index. It is widely known for its simplicity, comprehensibility and wide range of libraries. That is why this programming language is great for a wide variety of tasks, from website and software development to business process automation and data analysis.
Today, we will talk about the opportunities Python opens up for developers. What makes this programming language so special, and what distinguishes it from other options? Why should you pay attention to it? And what digital products can be created with its help? Let’s figure it out.
Mobile Development with Python: How Does it Stack Up?
When it comes to mobile app development, Python faces stiff competition from Swift, Kotlin, and JavaScript. Despite the lack of built-in support for mobile development, Python uses external frameworks such as Kivy and PyQT to extend its capabilities. These developers have a knack for creating reliable and stable mobile applications.
One of the big reasons for using Python app development services is its strong community support and extensive documentation. Developers can easily find resources, tutorials, and forums to help them overcome challenges and stay on top of the latest trends.
It is obvious that an active community guarantees a quick solution to any problems that arise during development. The more people involved in the development process of a programming language, the more opportunities it can offer in return. So this makes Python a solid choice for mobile app projects of varying complexity and scale.
Moreover, Python’s simplicity and readability shorten the learning curve for new developers. Beginners can quickly grasp the concepts of mobile development and start building apps on their own. The language has intuitive syntax and a comprehensive standard library. Why is it so important? This helps in rapid prototyping and iteration, which in turn is crucial in the fast development of mobile applications.
In other words, these and other strengths of Python allow developers to create efficient mobile applications that are easy to maintain and scale.
Advantages of Python for Mobile App Development
So, Python is definitely suitable for mobile applications. Combined with the right GUI frameworks, such as Kivy and BeeWare, any developer can turn interpreter-based code into native code for mobile platforms. This ability to support cross-platform development helps build complex features and provides technical gardening advantages.
Traditionally, developing an app for iOS and Android meant building separate versions from scratch using Swift or Objective-C for iOS and Java or Kotlin for Android. This approach was like writing a book in two different languages at the same time, doubling the work for developers.
Modern Python frameworks such as Kivy and BeeWare act as bridges, allowing a single Python codebase to be adapted for multiple platforms such as iOS and Android. This approach simplifies the development process, centralizes code, and reduces the effort involved in maintaining multiple versions.
Considerations for Android and iOS Development with Python
Like any other programming language, Python has certain considerations that should be taken into account. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Android development
The main problem is that in order to develop an Android app in Python, you need a way to run Python code in a Java virtual machine. This can be a challenge, but there is a solution.
Tools like BeeWare’s VOC (Vestigial Output Compiler) allow you to do this by compiling Python source code into Java-compatible bytecode. Other tools like Jython, JPype, and Py4j also facilitate Python and Java integration, each with its own advantages depending on the scope of the project. You can always find more information in the comprehensive technical documentation and choose the best option according to the needs of your project.
iOS development
Here, we must take into account the fact that creating applications for iOS using Python requires more complexity. Using the official documentation of the Kivy package, developers can set up a Python environment, code their applications, and deploy them using Xcode. However, deploying apps to the Apple App Store still requires a macOS machine.
Types of Mobile Apps You Can Develop with Python
Audio-video applications
Python is well suited for creating music and multimedia programs. You can easily use libraries like OpenCV and PyDub to effectively process and manage audio and video content.
They also provide functionality for video editing, playback, and audio analysis. This is what makes Python a powerful choice for creating interesting multimedia programs.
Blockchain applications
Blockchain technology is quite complex, but Python simplifies the development process. This programming language is flexible and readable, which is why blockchain developers often prefer it.
Using frameworks like Flask, developers can create endpoints for various blockchain functions. Python also provides interaction with blockchain networks via HTTP requests and supports multi-machine scripting to build distributed networks.
Game development
More specifically, Python has been used to develop popular games such as “Battlefield 2” and “EVE Online.” The extensive Pygame library is very useful for quickly prototyping games and testing them in real time.
In addition, Pygame provides modules for processing graphics, sound and input, which is also important for high-quality development of game products. Python can also be used to create game development tools such as level editors and dialog trees. This greatly simplifies the entire process of game design.
Command line applications
Command line apps, or console apps as they are also called, work without a graphical user interface. Python’s unique Real-Eval-Print-Loop (REPL) feature solves this problem and makes it ideal for developing these types of programs.
It’s also worth noting that Python’s extensive standard library and numerous third-party modules provide the tools you need to build powerful command-line utilities. Developers can use these libraries to create programs that perform tasks such as file manipulation, data processing, and system monitoring.
Machine learning applications
Here, Python is the undisputed leader and king, the basis of development and best practice. Machine learning is becoming increasingly accessible thanks to the rich ecosystem of Python libraries.
Libraries like Pandas, NumPy, and Scikit-learn provide great tools for data processing, analysis, and machine learning model development. TensorFlow and Keras further extend the capabilities of Python, so developers use them to the maximum to create complex applications and features.
Finally, the aforementioned simplicity and readability of Python make it easier to implement and understand complex ML algorithms.
Business apps
Python is flexible and adaptable, making it an excellent choice for developing business applications. This programming language has long been widely used in e-commerce and ERP solutions, most often in combination with frameworks such as Odoo and Tryton.
The first option, Odoo is a comprehensive suite of business applications that includes CRM, accounting, inventory management, and more. The second option, Tryton, another popular business application framework, provides a high-level, general-purpose platform with a modular architecture that allows developers to build scalable and customizable business solutions.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Python’s growing popularity is a testament to its versatility, simplicity, and robust ecosystem. Despite certain difficulties in the field of developing mobile solutions, an active community and frameworks such as Kivy and BeeWare have greatly expanded developer’s capabilities. This programming language, with its libraries and ecosystem, is great for creating cross-platform solutions.
Whether you want to develop audio-video applications, blockchain applications, games, or business solutions, Python offers powerful tools and libraries to support your project. This is the best option for working in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Therefore, everyone who plans to move in this direction should pay attention to this programming language.