Is Python or Java a better programming language?


Python and Java are two of the most popular and robust programming languages.  Java is the fifth most commonly used programming language according to Stack Overflow. Java is generally faster and more efficient than Python because it is a compiled language. While it's one of the coding languages considered to be easy to learn because many of the processes of this high-level language run automatically. However, Python still takes the cake in terms of simplicity. 

 As an interpreted language, Python has simpler, more concise syntax than Java. It can perform the same function as Java in fewer lines of code. Python also offers extensive libraries, especially around data analysis and machine learning. Because it's dynamically typed, it allows for even fast development compared to Java. 

Other key differences include how each handles memory management and the ability to run multiple threads at the same time. 

For example, lets dive into this threading difference. Java fully supports multithreading. When you use Java, you can run more than one thread at a time. When running multiple threads, they share a common memory area to increase efficiency and performance. Now if you search the web for threading in Python you might be a bit confused. You will find articles claiming that Python can't support multithreading but then you will also find tutorials and packages for threading and parallel processing. Python has a Global Interpreter Lock that only lets one thread execute at a time, so if you're working on a multi-threaded CPU-bound program, it'll likely be even slower. However, it's threading package allows you to speed up I/O bound programs. Using multiprocessing programs instead of multithreaded programs can be an effective workaround.

The answer to which is better is largely dependent on the user and the use case. Before learning one or starting a new project with either, think about what your goals are and decide which one fits those more closely.