Python for Web Development, or No? 10 Resources to Decide

With so many programming languages available, you may be asking yourself, which one is right for me? Python may not evoke feel-good feelings due to its association with the eponymous deadly snake breed – but, as programming languages go, it is an overwhelming fan favorite. So, without further ado, let’s walk through 10 resources that may clarify whether Python is the right choice for your tech stack.

Web Development Has Many Faces – Is Python Right For You?

Web development consists of backend as well as frontend development – the former tackles the nuts and bolts to ensure that a website, application, or other digital product works as it should. The latter deals with making it appear as designed. Full stack developers are those that can handle both tasks and often are a sought-after resource. How to reach a decision about which development language to use? Which one makes the most sense for your business? What are your developers fluent in? Let’s dive into 10 resources to help you decide. This list will be breaking down 10 web development languages, starting with – yep, you guessed it! Python.

Python

Python says about its product: “Python is powerful... and fast; plays well with others; runs everywhere; is friendly & easy to learn; is Open.”

Indeed, as one of the most popular programming languages, it is considered by most a great language for beginners as it is easy to learn. It integrates with other popular languages including C++ and for a developer, it offers highly paid opportunities. The downside? It isn’t as thorough as some of its competitors, according to ThoughtCo.

Java

One of the most established players in the market, Java is a tad harder to learn. What it lacks in ease, it more than makes up for in compatibility with other platforms, including Windows and Linux. It also happens to be the main language for Android. Now owned by Oracle, there is no end to the free resources available for developers to learn and grow their skill-set within Java. If you’re looking to hire a web developer, head over to our article that tackles this in more detail.

Of their offering, they say the following: “Oracle Java is the #1 programming language and development platform. It reduces costs, shortens development timeframes, drives innovation, and improves application services. With millions of developers running more than 51 billion Java Virtual Machines worldwide, Java continues to be the development platform of choice for enterprises and developers.”

C++

A programming language developed by Danish data scientist Bjarne Soelstrup, it was developed 40 years ago and remains in use in operating systems, browsers, and video games, among others. Basics can be learned in a mini-course offered by Code Academy – and it is a widely known language.

If you are looking for a vendor that can assist in finding the right tools for web development, feel free to check out some of our vetted vendor partners, such as SuperAwesome, VacuumLabs, and Bild Studio, to name a select few.

PHP

PHP is a programming language described in their own words as follows: “Fast, flexible and pragmatic, PHP powers everything from your blog to the most popular websites in the world.”

Like Django below, it is another open-source product making it free and enabling connections with other users learning as they go. Like Python, there are web development frameworks that sit atop the programming language to make it easier to code websites, applications, and the like. One of these is Laravel, which is addressed in point 7 of this article.

HTML

HTML is often used in combination with CSS and results in a language that can be used for websites as well as web applications. HTML5 is particularly suited to web apps and is considered an easy language for beginners, much like Python web development.

Web Frameworks – Making Web Development Easier

Django

Now we’re getting to the more interesting aspects of web development. Because between the more traditional coding languages and the color-by-numbers approaches offered by platforms such as WordPress and InDesign, lies something quite different. Django is a prime example.

As a web framework based upon Python, it greatly eases the building of applications. It is open source and therefore a great way of becoming part of a larger network of individuals committed to learning and growing together – plus, it means that it is free to acquire! Their tagline is “the web framework for perfectionists with deadlines” and of their product, they say:

“With Django, you can take web applications from concept to launch in a matter of hours. Django takes care of much of the hassle of web development, so you can focus on writing your app without needing to reinvent the wheel. It’s free and open source.”

At the time of writing, it has reached 69% of its funding goal for 2022. If you feel so inclined, drop by their site and show your support for the cause. Alternatively, head over there to download the framework for free. The choice is yours. Speaking of choices, you could also reach out to Pangea for its recommendations on how to proceed with your web development projects. Feel free to use the vendor search tool here.

Flask

Originally an April Fool’s joke, the founder figured out that the idea behind Flask could prove useful in the field of web development. Cut to: Now it is one of the most popular web frameworks – like Django, it sits atop Python. Unlike Django, it is considered a micro-framework. This means it is more flexible than its counterpart.

It is considered scalable, flexible, easy to negotiate, lightweight, and backed up by good documentation – according to Career Foundry. On the downside, it is lacking in some tools, can be difficult to get familiar with in the larger Flask app and the microframework structure can be cumbersome and costly to maintain as it interacts in more complex ways with other interfaces.

Laravel

Described as “the PHP framework for web artisans”, this framework packs a punch. They go on to describe it as follows: “ Laravel is a web application framework with expressive, elegant syntax. We’ve already laid the foundation — freeing you to create without sweating the small things.”

As such, it allows you to create simple, clear-cut code and thereby create powerful functionality in your web applications and sites. There are glowing reviews by developers themselves to be found on their website, which may sway you to go with the PHP Laravel package. If you want our guidance, you can get our recommendations via our custom tool here.

Web Design Software

On a more user-friendly track, here are two options for when programming language just isn’t on the cards. These are the aforementioned ‘paint-by-numbers’ approaches, whereby the software allows you to be a novice and therefore design your website based on existing backend coding. WordPress is one of the pioneers of this approach, but we will look at the following two, to round out our list:

Wix

A very easy-to-use platform, Wix takes web design and makes it simple, elegant, and fun to use. Favored by users, its only issue is that the free version lacks some functionality. Wix boasts around 200 million users, according to Web Tribunal, and over 2% of the world’s websites are powered by Wix. Similarly to Flask, Wix was created by accident in 2006 when three developers were building a website for another startup and quickly realized how painful creating a new website was. They diverted their efforts toward solving this problem instead, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Adobe Dreamweaver

Customizable, responsive, and HTML5 compatible, TechRadar considers this a strong contender in the web development design game. It gives it a whopping 4.5 stars out of 5. In comparison to Wix, Adobe Dreamweaver powers only 0.3% of all websites ( Web Technology Surveys), but it is considered a professional web design package. This differs in some respects from the more broad-based usage of Wix.

FAQs:

Q1. Is Python a good choice for web development?

Python has a great many advantages, chief among them being ease of use, flexibility, and availability of frameworks that can assist in making the language more conducive to building your digital product. For instance, Django and Flask are both frameworks that support the web development process using Python programming. One of the most popular languages around, you are not likely to go wrong using Python if so inclined.

Q2. Which version of Python is best for web development?

Generally, the online consensus is that Python 3x — the latest version — is the best option for web development. This makes sense – the latest has been honed and is therefore likely more suited to the latest trends and needs by developers for their web development. Having said that, Python 2x is still widely used and supported.

Q3. Is Django better than Python?

Almost a trick question – since Django is a web development framework that is based on Python programming language! If someone is well-versed in Python, they may be better suited to work with the language directly, even if it is more complex. If someone has more general skills – perhaps an all-rounder that ‘speaks’ a few more languages – they may benefit from using Django to be able to create more compelling code with less effort and complexity.