The python™ language is a programming language. Programming languages allow developers to build programs that we use, both on our hard drives and online. Coding languages are not actually the computer language, as all computers on their most basic level use binary code, the computer language. Instead, coding languages act as a kind of translator between the computers' binary code and our human language.
The python™ language is what is known as a ‘high-level’ programming language. This means that the python™ language is closer to human speech than it is to binary code. This is handy for developers, who tend not to speak binary. Higher-level languages like the Python™ language are preferred by some programmers for their simplicity of use.
The python™ language is also an object oriented programming language, meaning that the coding language is designed around sets of objects in the program. For example, if you are building a form that has entry fields for information and a ‘submit’ button each would be an individual object in the program. Object oriented programming languages are a transition from task oriented programming, which focused on the specific tasks that the program needed to complete. Object-oriented programming languages have been becoming increasingly popular since the mid-1990s.
In addition, the Python™ language varies from other programming languages because it has no compilation step at the end of the program. This is an important difference from other computer languages because compiling a program is a way of finishing the translation to binary. This process can be lengthy, and Python’s method of bypassing the step can save a great deal of time when programmers are attempting to test and debug their new programs.
Programs written with the Python™ language do run somewhat slower than the more popular, yet similar, Java language-based programs. However, the average end user may notice only a small difference. The advantage to using Python is that the program is easier to code, and on average three times shorter than a Java program. The shorter coded programs, in addition to making the developer’s life easier, also make it easier to spot bugs and eliminate problems in the code.
The python™ language is also compatible with a wide range of other programming languages. The base version is compatible with COM™, .NET™ and CORBA™ objects. In addition there is a version of Python compatible with Java, which is known as Jython™. Python™ also has additional compatibility through its compatibility with the Internet Communications Engine™ (ICE).
ICE is essentially a bridge between different types of programming languages. This type of software is known as middleware. Its only function is to allow programming languages that would not normally be compatible to work together so that developers can use the most efficient languages for each section of a program.