What Is Python Used For? A Beginner’s Guide

Key takeaways

• Python is used to develop websites and software, automate tasks, analyze data, and power machine learning applications.

• Python programming offers a beginner‑friendly way to build websites, automate workflows, and analyze data thanks to its simple syntax and extensive libraries.

• Python coding supports real‑world projects across data science, web development, automation, and everyday tasks, making it accessible to both programmers and non‑programmers.

Python programming is popular because its readable syntax, open‑source ecosystem, and large community make it easy to learn and widely adaptable. Discover more about what Python is and how it's used in the real world. If you want to start learning this popular programming language today, consider enrolling in the University of Michigan's Python for Everybody Specialization, where you can build foundational programming knowledge in as little as two months, including data structures, networked application program interfaces, and databases.

What is Python?

Python is a computer programming language often used to build websites and software, automate tasks, and conduct data analysis. Python is a general-purpose language, meaning it can be used to create a variety of different programs and isn’t specialized for any specific problems. This versatility, along with its beginner-friendliness, has made it one of the most-used programming languages today.

According to a study by Statista, Python is the fourth most commonly used programming language among developers worldwide [1].

What is Python used for?

Python is commonly used for developing websites and software, task automation, data analysis, and data visualization. Since it’s relatively easy to learn, Python has been adopted by many non-programmers, such as accountants and scientists, for a variety of everyday tasks, like organizing finances.

“Writing programs is a very creative and rewarding activity,” says University of Michigan and Coursera instructor Charles R Severance in his book Python for Everybody. “You can write programs for many reasons, ranging from making your living to solving a difficult data analysis problem to having fun to helping someone else solve a problem.”

What can you do with Python? Some things include:

• Data analysis and machine learning

• Web development

• Automation or scripting

• Software testing and prototyping

• Everyday tasks

Here’s a closer look at some of these common ways Python is used.

1. Data analysis and machine learning

Python has become a staple in data science, allowing data analysts and other professionals to use the language to conduct complex statistical calculations, create data visualizations, build machine learning algorithms, manipulate and analyze data, and complete other data-related tasks.

Python can build a wide range of different data visualizations, like line and bar graphs, pie charts, histograms, and 3D plots. Python also has a number of libraries that enable coders to write programs for data analysis and machine learning more quickly and efficiently, like TensorFlow and Keras.

2. Web development

Python is often used to develop the back end of a website or application; the parts that a user doesn’t see. Python’s role in web development can include sending data to and from servers, processing data and communicating with databases, URL routing, and ensuring security. Python offers several frameworks for web development. Commonly used ones include Django and Flask.

Some web development jobs that use Python include back-end engineers, full-stack engineers, Python developers, software engineers, and DevOps engineers.

Read more: How to Become a Web Developer

3. Software testing and prototyping

In software development, Python can aid in tasks like build control, bug tracking, and testing. With Python, software developers can automate testing for new products or features. Some Python tools used for software testing include Green and Requestium.

4. Automation or scripting

If you find yourself performing a task repeatedly, you could work more efficiently by automating it with Python. Writing code used to build these automated processes is called scripting. In the coding world, automation can be used to check for errors across multiple files, convert files, execute simple math, and remove duplicates in data.

Python can even be used by relative beginners to automate simple computer tasks, such as renaming files, finding and downloading online content, or sending emails or texts at desired intervals.

IT automation can be a valuable skill to add to your resume. You can learn the basics from an industry leader in technology with the following online program:

5. Everyday tasks

Python isn't only for programmers and data scientists. Learning Python can open new possibilities for those in less data-heavy professions, like journalists, small business owners, or social media marketers. Python can also enable non-programmers to simplify certain tasks in their lives. Here are just a few of the tasks you could automate with Python:

• Keep track of stock market or crypto prices

• Send yourself a text reminder to carry an umbrella anytime it’s raining

• Update your grocery shopping list

• Rename large batches of files

• Convert text files to spreadsheets

• Randomly assign chores to family members

• Fill out online forms automatically

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Why is Python so popular?

Python is popular for a number of reasons. Here’s a deeper look at what makes it so versatile and easy to use for coders.

• Its simple syntax mimics natural language, making it easier to read and understand. This makes it quicker to build projects and improve on them.

• It’s versatile. Python can be used for many different tasks, from web development to machine learning.

• It’s beginner-friendly, making it popular for entry-level coders.

• It’s open source, which means it’s free to use and distribute, even for commercial purposes.

• Python’s archive of modules and libraries, bundles of code that third-party users have created to expand Python’s capabilities, is vast and growing.

• Python has a large and active community that contributes to Python’s pool of modules and libraries and acts as a helpful resource for other programmers. The vast support community means that if coders run into a stumbling block, finding a solution is relatively easy; somebody is bound to have encountered the same problem before.

Practice your Python skills independently with tutorials

Not ready to commit to a course or a boot camp yet? You can read step-by-step guides for troubleshooting Python basics like syntax, if-else statements, exceptions, and working with loops in Coursera's free programming tutorials.

Build your future career skills with our free resources

JoinCareer Chat on LinkedIn to stay current with the latest trends in your career field. You can also continue your learning journey with Python and software development with our free digital resources:

• Watch on YouTube: How Long Does It Really Take to Learn Python?

• Gain insider insights: How One Software Developer’s Leadership Aspirations Led Her to Graduate School

• Bookmark for later: Python Basics Cheat Sheet

Whether you want to get comfortable with an in-demand technology or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription, where you’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses.

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