From the key features, you can see that Python and JavaScript both have similar features, and now that we have gone through the definition and attributes of each language, we’ll go over their advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages and Disadvantages of JavaScript
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|
Speed | Client-Side Security |
Large Libraries, Tools & Framework | Browser Compatibility |
Versatility | Lenient Nature |
Global Language | |
Advantages of JavaScript
Large Libraries, Tools & Framework
JavaScript has several libraries, tools and frameworks integrated within each other; these resources aid development. Examples include; React, MongoDB and Grunt.
Versatility
Apart from being supported by almost every web browser, once javaScript is mastered, it can be used in the development of web, mobile and desktop applications; these include the client-side and server-side of a website.
Disadvantages of JavaScript
Client-Side Security
JavaScript's execution on the client-side of a web application makes its code visible because of how accessible it is. It can be tampered with; weaknesses and bugs can also be exploited which compromises security and can be used for malicious purposes. In the developer tool, for instance, you can inspect the network where all the JavaScript files are visible.
Browser Compatibility
JavaScript is indeed supported by almost every web browser; however, because browsers run a unique rendering engine, web elements are processed differently. Errors occur when developers try to use modern JavaScript features that are not supported by older browsers or older versions of new browsers. Therefore, testing must be done to ensure compatibility with browsers.
Lenient Nature
JavaScript is considered to be less strict in nature, allowing for bugs and inconsistencies in your code. For JavaScript to follow a stricter mode, you’re required to introduce it directly in your code, to ensure that it evaluates and runs code more rigorously.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Python
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|
Beginner Friendly | Slow Speed |
Simple Syntax | Not Memory Efficient |
Open-Source | Design Restrictions |
Versatility | |
Advantages of Python
Beginner Friendly
Due to its simplicity, learners do not need to spend time trying to understand its syntax, and developers can focus their time and energy on solving problems. It is friendly to learners and does not require extensive coding to get things done - less code and more results.
Disadvantages of Python
Design Restrictions
Python is dynamically typed; programmers do not need to worry about providing the correct “type” information. It follows the principle of “Duck Typing”, that is, the type or the class of an object is less important than the methods it defines.
Python vs. JavaScript: Detailed Comparison
Application
What can we do with javascript and python? There is a lot that can be done by mastering either language.
JavaScript
JavaScript can be used in developing web applications, websites, server-side applications, IOT(Internet of Things) applications etc.
Python
Python can be used for web development, game development, machine learning and artificial intelligence, data science and data visualization, web scoping, serverless computing, embedded apps etc.
Syntax
Syntax is a set of rules used to define the symbols present in a program. Every programming language has its syntax.
E.g Let us calculate the value of two numbers and return the result;
Let x = myFunction (7,9);
Function myFunction (a, b) {
return a * b;
}
Python
Python syntax is simple to read and understand because it was created to mirror the English language. In python, you do not need to make use of variable types, brackets or semi-colons. It makes use of white space characters to differentiate between the line of code, which makes indentation mandatory.
E.g Let us define, and call a function;
def my_function():
print (“Hello I am a function”)
my_function()
Encoding is a method that is used to convert one format of data to another.
Python
ASCII is the source code in python, it’s used to translate characters (such as letters, punctuation, symbols, whitespace, and control characters) to integers and finally to bits.
Data Types
Data types specify the type of value a variable has and what kind of mathematical, relational or logical operations can be enforced on it without causing lapses in our code.
JavaScript
In JavaScript, the data type is split into two categories, primitive and reference data types. Examples of primitive data types include numbers, string, boolean, null, undefined and symbols. Reference data types include arrays, functions, collections, objects, dates and other objects.
Python
In python, the standard data types include numeric data type, sequence data type, and boolean. Numeric data types include data that has numeric values like integer, float, and complex numbers. The sequence enables the storage of values like strings, lists, and tuples. While boolean consists of the two built-in values, True or False.
Inheritance
The importance of inheritance is to allow software engineers to develop class hierarchies or relationships where classes and objects acquire properties and behaviours from their parents.
JavaScript
JavaScript uses a prototype-based inheritance model, where an object can inherit the property of another object. The object from where the properties are inherited is called the prototype. This method eliminates data and logic duplication.
Python
Python uses class-based inheritance methods by default, the class inherits all the methods and properties from another class.
Hash Tables
A Hash table is a data function that maps keys to its value pairs. It uses a function that computes an index value which holds the elements to be searched, inserted and removed.
E.g
Let obj = {
USA: “Washington DC”
Andorra: “Andorra la Vella”
}
The key USA is paired with the capital of “Wahington DC” and key Andorra is paired with the value “ Andorra la Vella”
E.g
Capitals = { “USA” : “Washington DC” , “Andorra” : “Andorra la Vella” }
Exception Handling
Exception handling is an event that occurs during the execution of a program which disrupts the normal flow of the program's instructions. An exception represents an error.
JavaScript
In JavaScript, three types of errors can occur. These are syntax, runtime, and logical errors. A syntax error occurs when the wrong syntax is applied in a code, while a runtime error occurs during the execution of the code. The codes that cause runtime errors are known as exceptions. Logical errors occur when there’s a logical mistake in the program.
The following statements are required when exceptions occur;
Throw statements
Try… catch statements
Try…catch…finally statements.
Python
The Two types of errors in Python are syntax errors and exceptions. A syntax error occurs when the wrong syntax is applied in the code, while an exception is raised if its function is called using incorrect parameters or when the program is syntactically correct, and still, the code results in an error. However, this error does not stop the execution of the program, it simply changes alters the normal flow of the program.
Conclusion
You may wonder, why do a comparison between both languages? It is so that we can understand both languages in their uniqueness. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which language you prefer based on their differences, and if you’re capable of working with both languages, even better!
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