Python programming is a good choice as its popularity is constantly growing, especially in a startup environment.
Startups typically have limited budgets and Python development really meets their needs. As a programming language, it is aspect-oriented, meaning that there are modules with different functionality.
The roots of Python come to 1991. Now it is becoming more popular due to its flexibility, a short length of code, and easy to use syntax. It shortens the time of development and there are excellent libraries that enable data analysis, manipulation, and visualization. A Python developer usually deals with backend components, apps connection with 3rd-party web services, and can give support to frontend developers in web apps.
Is Python developer a good job? How much do Python developers make? Let’s find the answers in this post where you can get a brief info about this job and the ways on how to become a Python developer.
Who is a Python Developer?
There is no official definition for a Python developer, but there are certain domains and roles these specialists can take according to their skill-set. A Python developer can be a software engineer, web developer, data analyst, automation tester, and so on. It means that he/she can freely combine these roles.
Now we are going to figure out what are the reasons people have, striving to become a Python developer while so many programming languages exist.
Why Python?
Python is a popular general-purpose programming language that is widely applied for various applications. The language contains high-level data structures, dynamic typing, binding, and many more great features that make it useful for complex app development.
Python can also be extended to make system calls to almost all OS and to run code written in C or C++. It can run on the majority system architectures. That’s why Python is often considered as universal language found in different applications. The language is relatively easy to learn so it is perfectly suited for both beginners and experienced developers.
What Are the Things to Master Python?
Knowing Python frameworks
It is not necessary for an effective Python developer to know all Python frameworks; however, depending on the project they may be involved in, knowing some of them must be obligatory. For example, knowing CherryPy, Flask or Django, etc.
If a developer already knows Python, he has a chance to work with at least one of the most popular frameworks.
ORM Libraries
Object Relational Mapping (ORM) is a way to query and manipulate data from a database with the help of an object-oriented paradigm. Advanced ORM libraries like SQLAlchemy and Django ORM will help you in learning and this is actually easier and faster than writing SQL.
Front-end technologies
Such technologies as HTML5, JScript/jQuery, and CSS3 are not necessary for being a Python developer. However, it is worth gaining a general understanding of them to make them let you better understand how things work and what is possible. Python developers should be ready to cooperate with the front-end team.
Version control
Multiple code changes by numerous people can ultimately break it. It is useful for Python developers to learn GitHub and its basic concepts like push, pull, fork, and commit to being able to implement version control.
What are some basic skills needed to be a good Python developer?
To be an effective Python developer, you’ll need more than just technical knowledge. Here are some more required skills:
- Strong communication skills – they will help you with communicating project requirements and features to the entire team. Communication skills will be also helpful when writing documentation.
- A problem-solving mindset
- The aspiration to learn new libraries and tools
- Strong technical skills
- Knowledge of how things work internally
What are the consequent steps to become a Python developer?
Here’s an approximate roadmap for becoming a Python developer:
- Decide and ground why you want to learn Python.
- Explore online Python guides and tutorials and empower your theoretical background. Keep practicing while learning.
- Read relevant books on Python and listen to podcasts. Follow available certified courses to help you learn the subject. This will help you to understand the concepts, solve practicals, and work on your projects.
- Delve into the official Python documentation for various constructs.
- Try the source code of your favorite Python package to understand how it works.
9 Reasons Why to Become a Python Developer
1. The variety of Python jobs
There are so many vacancies related to Python that you may find on different sites. As Python programming can be used in so many ways, there are Python jobs to fit any level of experience and proficiency.
2. Competitive salary
The average salaries for Python gurus look rather attractive.
3. Python does not take long to learn
People often think that it might take years to learn Python. However, the industry professionals say that Python can be learned in as little as 6-8 weeks (in case you have previous experience with coding languages).
4. Popularity among startups
Startups like Python. They need to run lean to survive. It means when they are creating their digital products, those products have to be completed under the required budget and ahead of schedule. Python is a favored programming language among startups because of its ability to help deliver on both these goals.
5. Python basics are available for free
You can use a free Python tutorial that the Python Software Foundation proposes on its official website. You’ll get an extensive guide for beginners with the material tailored specifically to users with no programming experience.
6. The versatility of Python
Python as a general-purpose language can do a lot. That is why giants such as Google or Facebook use it to build parts of their tech stacks. Its code can be also used to create basic programs like dice rollers or virtual magic 8-balls.
7. Python has a powerful community
The open-source coding language can only live up to its potential if there’s a supportive community of users engaged. There is a special community page on the Python Software Foundation site hat links to several community groups and forums where you can find fellow Python enthusiasts.
8. The out-of-the-box meaning of using Python
Programming with Python will never be tedious and unwieldy. The language provides a powerful library right out of the box, making for a more efficient coding process. It supplies developers with pre-packaged modules that allow skipping the process of coding these functions themselves (that saves time and makes their code more uniformly arranged).
9. Python automates all boring stuff
Managing of all repetitive and time-consuming tasks is one of the hardest parts of working in tech. Automation is what makes Python beneficial. Its ability to write system scripts means that you can create simple programs to automate mindless tasks that eat away at your productivity.
Wrap up
Python has many outstanding features that make developers switch to it over other programming languages.
If you want to do the same, remember that your skillset is your weapon. Learn Python and you will be able to land a better project, a better position, and a better salary.