A Comparison
A useful strategy to make judgments at times is to take a closer look at the advantages and cons of two approaches to a problem. If you are new to data science or are starting a new data science project and are unsure which language to use, here is an in-depth look at some crucial aspects to consider when selecting a programming language.
Syntax
Python is a dynamically typed programming language, whereas Java is a firmly typed programming language. This means that in Python, the data type of a variable is determined at runtime and can vary throughout the program's life. In Java, a data type must be assigned to a variable while writing the code, and this data type must remain constant throughout the program's life unless expressly modified. In the case of Python, this enables for ease of use when writing the programme. With dynamic typing, a programme can be written with less lines of code.
Python is admired for its simplicity and use. It is well-known for being easier to learn and use, and it is generally the programming language of choice for beginning programmers. Python also disregards indentation requirements, enclosing braces, and the requirement to use semicolons. Java, on the other hand, adheres to strict syntactic requirements. If the syntax rules are not followed, the code will fail during compilation and will not run.
Performance
Java outperforms Python in terms of speed. It takes less time to execute source code than it does to execute Python. Because Python is an interpreted language, the code is read line by line. In general, this leads to slower performance in terms of speed. Debugging occurs exclusively at runtime, which may cause problems while running codes. Another thing to keep in mind is that in Python, the data type of a variable must be decided at runtime. This, too, tends to slow down execution speed. Unlike Python, Java can handle numerous computations at the same time, which adds to its speed.
Tools and Frameworks
Python and Java include a robust set of built-in libraries for data analytics, data science, and machine learning. Apache Spark is a free and open-source analytics engine that data scientists use for large-scale data processing. Apache Spark has high-level APIs available in both Java and Python. These APIs are useful in big data and machine learning.
Data Science Libraries in Python
Let's have a look at some of the Python libraries available for data analysis and processing.
Python Pandas
Pandas is an open-source Python library that primarily supports the loading, organisation, manipulation, modelling, and analysis of large datasets. Its powerful data structures enable high-performance data management. Pandas can clean up messy datasets, making them more readable and relevant. Pandas' DataFrame object supports both default and custom indexing. Pandas provides tools for importing data from numerous file formats into in-memory data objects.
Python NumPy
NumPy is an abbreviation for "Numerical Python." It is a Python library used for array manipulation. A developer can use NumPy to execute mathematical and logical operations on an array. NumPy also has tools for working with Fourier transforms and algorithms for manipulating shapes. It also has built-in functions for linear algebra, matrices, and random number generation. NumPy is frequently used as a replacement for MatLab, along with Matplotlib and SciPy.
Python Matplotlib
Matplotlib is an open-source Python library that provides graph plotting capabilities to improve visualisation. Matplotlib allows Python scripts to create 2D graphs and charts. The Matplotlib software also contributes to more appealing visualisation by supporting colours and colour maps. Python can also be used to create animated and interactive visuals.
Python SciPy
SciPy is a Python open-source scientific library used to solve hard scientific and mathematical problems. The SciPy library is designed to interact with the NumPy extension. SciPy provides simple and effective numerical integration and optimization functions.
PySpark
To enable Apache Spark from Python, the Apache Spark community published a programme called PySpark. PySpark interfaces with Apache Spark's Resilient Distributed Datasets (RDDs) and the Python programming language. This is accomplished through the use of the Py4J module, which is integrated into PySpark and allows Python to dynamically interact with JVM projects.
Seaborn
Seaborn is a Python package for data visualisation that is based on Matplotlib. It offers a high-level interface for creating visually appealing and informative statistical visuals. It also includes basic high-level routines for popular statistical plot kinds and interfaces with Pandas DataFrames capability.
SciKit-learn
The Python SciKit-learn package can be used for data mining and analysis. It includes a diverse set of supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms that operate through a uniform Python interface. Scikit-learn can perform machine learning functions like as classification, regression, clustering, dimensionality reduction, model selection, and preprocessing.
PyTorch
PyTorch is an open-source tool that is based on the Torch library. It includes a number of libraries that give tools for computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing. It is simple to learn and utilise. PyTorch is compatible with the Python Data Science stack, including NumPy. PyTorch provides a framework for creating and changing computational graphs in real time. It also provides streamlined preprocessors and customised data loaders.
Keras
Keras is an open-source neural network and machine learning library. It employs neural network construction pieces such as layers, objectives, activation functions, and optimizers. Keras has tools for working with pictures and text images. In addition to ordinary neural networks, Keras offers convolutional and recurrent neural networks.
TensorFlow
TensorFlow is an open-source machine learning library. TensorFlow is primarily used for deep neural network training and inference. It is a data flow and differential programming-based symbolic math library. TensorFlow has a rich ecosystem of tools, modules, and resources that enable developers to quickly design and deploy ML-powered applications.
