Two languages are most commonly used in programming. Python or Java: which one to start from? Beginners often find themselves facing this dilemma. They can ramble on for days about the importance of this choice and keep delaying the actual study. I intend to solve this problem now and for good. But please note that this is my blog, and here I give MY opinion. Your point of view may be different, and that is also OK.
In any case, learning a new language is a big advantage, and you will benefit from both Java and Python. The decision is not so critical, so don’t worry too much about choosing a particular programming language. Just make sure you gather as much information as you can about each of them to make your final decision. It is only up to you to choose whether it will be Java or Python. I will only share my opinion on this matter, as I am frequently asked the same question repeatedly.
Based on my experience, I can recommend you choosing Java over Python as your first language. Are you curious to know why? First of all, Java is the most popular programming language, outscoring even C. Therefore, it offers you a way bigger number of job opportunities than any other language. And finally, it is much easier to learn for a newbie without any programming background. These are only some of the reasons. Keep reading the article if you are not convinced yet.
Java is More Similar to Normal English
If you have never tried programming, Java will be a much easier language to start from, mainly because it has similar to English syntax with a low number of magic characters. It also makes it easier to read Java programs. While Java uses angle brackets and many other languages like C++ and C#, Python exploits indentation. And it is challenging for beginners to adjust to indentation because if they add extra space, the whole program will fall apart.
Less Time-Consuming
As Java has strict coding rules, there is a lower chance that you make mistakes and spend hours looking for them. According to the rules, a Java program will not let you proceed with writing if there is even a single mistake. So, developers have to solve all the issues to execute the program. Unlike static-type Java, Python is a dynamic type of language; meaning runtime errors may appear more often. But the worst part is that you will have to spend a lot of time finding bugs and fixing errors.
Simple Analysis
Due to its explicit nature, Java code is easy to analyze, so you can easily understand what a certain part of the code does. It is quite helpful and time-saving because you can start working with code written by your colleague, for example, straight away. That is one of the reasons large companies tend to prefer using the Java language. In the case of Python, the code is implicit (hidden). So, if the code wasn’t written by you, you would need some time to decipher the meaning of each line. Once again, this problem appears due to the dynamic nature of the language.
Java Has Rich API
Another big advantage of Java as a programming language is its Rich API. It is hard to believe, but it provides API for everything, such as I/O, XML parsing, networking, utilities, database connection, etc. If there is something else that Java does not cover, use open source libraries such as Google Guava, Apache Commons, Apache POI, Gson, Jackson, and many others. If you are interested in open source libraries and would like me to write about them, let me know in the comments below.
Good Start
I bet you won’t stop with one language and will want to learn at least one more, if not two or three. Once you are in, there is no way back, mate. But it is an exciting career that promises lots of interesting and one-of-a-kind tasks. Therefore, if you know you are likely to go further and learn a couple more languages, Java is literally the best option to get started with. As we already mentioned above, Java has a syntax similar to most other programming languages. It will be easier for you to learn them as you will already be familiar with the structure.
If you decide to take Python as a first language, be ready to face some serious issues because of the syntaxis. Many popular languages, like PHP, JavaScript, etc., don’t use indentation. The bottom line is starting with Java and then moving to other languages, even Python, is much faster and easier than vice versa. So, think it out before making a final decision. Good luck!
