Python vs Java: Key Differences Explained

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Python vs Java – Who Will
Conquer 2022?

Python Vs Java – The hottest battle of the era. Every beginner want to know
which programming language will have a bright future? According to
statistics, Java is losing its charm and Python is rising. But, no one will tell you
which one is beneficial. In this blog, we will discuss the differences between
Java and Python and let you decide which one is more useful.
Python Vs Java – A Battle for the Best
Let’s deep dive into the differences.
Hello World Example
To rigorously compare Python and Java, we first compare the first program in
any programming language- to print “Hello World”.
● Java
public class HelloWorld

{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("Hello World");
}
}
● Python
Now, let’s try printing the same thing in Python.
print(“Hello World”)
As you can see, what we could do with 7 lines of code in Java, we can do with 1
line in Python.
Let’s further discuss parts of this program and other things.
Syntax
A striking characteristic of Python is simple python syntax. Let’s see the syntax
difference between Python and Java.
1. Semicolon
Python statements do not need a semicolon to end, thanks to its syntax.
>>> x=7
>>> x=7;

But it is possible to append it. However, if you miss a semicolon in Java, it
throws an error.
class one
{
public static void main (String[] args)
{
int x=7;
System.out.println(x)
}
}
Compilation error #stdin compilation error #stdout 0.09s 27828KB
Main.java:10: error: ‘;’ expected
System.out.println(x)
^
1 error
2. Curly Braces and Indentation
The major factor of Python Vs Java is curly braces and indentation. In Java,
you must define blocks using semicolons. Without that, your code won’t work.
But Python has never seen a sight of curly braces. So, to define blocks, it
mandates indentation. Some lazy programmers don’t go the extra mile to
indent their code, but with Python, they have no other choice. This

indentation also aids readability. But you must compliment the indentation
with a colon ending the line before it.
>>> if 2>1:
print("Greater")
Greater
This code would break if we added curly braces.
>>> if 2>1:
{
SyntaxError: expected an indented block
Now, let’s see if we can skip the curly braces and indentation in Java.
class one
{
{
if(2>1)
System.out.println("2");
}
}
Success #stdin #stdout 0.07s 27792KB
2

Here, we could skip the braces because it’s a single-line if-statement.
Indentation isn’t an issue here.
This is because when we have only one statement, we don’t need to define a
block. And if we have a block, we define it using curly braces.
Hence, whether we indent the code or not, it makes no difference. Let’s try
that with a block of code for the if-statement.
class one
{
{
if(2<1)
System.out.println("2");
System.out.println("Lesser");
}
}
Lesser
As you can see here, 2 isn’t less than 1, so the if statement’s body isn’t
executed. Since we don’t have curly braces here, only the first print statement
is considered to be its body. This is why here, only the second statement is
executed; it isn’t in the if’s body.

3. Parentheses
Starting Python 3.x, a set of parentheses is a must only for the print statement.
All other statements will run with or without it.
>>> print("Hello")
Hello
>>> print "Hello"
SyntaxError: Missing parentheses in call to ‘print’
This isn’t the same as Java, where you must use parentheses.
4. Comments
Comments are lines that are ignored by the interpreter. Java supports
multiline comments, but Python does not. The following are comments in
Java.
//This is a single-line comment
/*This is a multiline comment
Yes it is*/
Now, let’s see what a comment looks like in Python.
>>> #This is a comment
Here, documentation comments can be used in the beginning of a function’s
body to explain what
it does. These are declared using triple quotes (“””).

>>> """
This is a docstring
"""
'ntThis is a docstringn'
These were the syntax comparison in Python Vs Java, let’s discuss more.
Dynamically Typed
One of the major differences is that Python is dynamically-typed. This means
that we don’t need to declare the type of the variable, it is assumed at
run-time. This is called Duck Typing. If it looks like a duck, it must be a duck,
mustn’t it?
>>> age=22
You could reassign it to hold a string, and it wouldn’t bother.
>>> age='testing'
In Java, however, you must declare the type of data, and you need to explicitly
cast it to a different type when needed. A type like int can be casted into a
float, though, because int has a shallower range.
class one
{
{
int x=10;

float z;
z=(float)x;
System.out.println(z);
}
}
10.0
However then, at runtime, the Python interpreter must find out the types of
variables used. Thus, it must work harder at runtime.
Java, as we see it, is statically-typed. Now if you declare an int an assign a
string to it, it throws a type exception.
class one
{
{
int x=10;
x="Hello";
}
}
Compilation error #stdin compilation error #stdout 0.09s 27920KB

Main.java:12: error: incompatible types: String cannot be converted to int
x="Hello";
^
1 error
Verbosity/ Simplicity
Attributed to its simple syntax, a Python program is typically 3-5 times shorter
than its counterpart in Java. As we have seen earlier, to print “Hello World” to
the screen, you need to write a lot of code in Java. We do the same thing in
Python in just one statement. Hence, coding in Python raises programmers’
productivity because they need to write only so much code needed. It is
concise.
To prove this, we’ll try to swap two variables, without using a third, in these
two languages. Let’s begin with Java.
class one
{
{
int x=10,y=20;
x=x+y;
y=x-y;
x=x-y;

System.out.println(x+" "+y);
}
}
20 10
Now, let’s do the same in Python.
>>> a,b=2,3
>>> a,b=b,a
>>> a,b
(3, 2)
As you can see here, we only needed one statement for swapping variables a
and b. The statement before it is for assigning their values and the one after is
for printing them out to verify that swapping has been performed. This is a
major factor of Python vs Java.
Speed
When it comes to speed, Java is the winner. Since Python is interpreted, we
expect them to run slower than their counterparts in Java. They are also
slower because the types are assumed at run time. This is extra work for the
interpreter at runtime. The interpreter follows REPL (Read Evaluate Print
Loop). Also, the IDLE has built-in syntax highlighting, and to get the previous
and next commands, we press Alt+p and Alt+n respectively.

However, they also are quicker to develop, thanks to Python’s brevity.
Therefore, in situations where speed is not an issue, you may go with Python,
for the benefits it offers more than nullify its speed limitations. However, in
projects where speed is the main component, you should go for Java. An
example of such a project is where you may need to retrieve data from a
database. So if you ask Python Vs Java as far as speed is concerned, Java wins.
Portability
Both Python and Java are highly portable languages. But due to the extreme
popularity of Java, it wins this battle. The JVM (Java Virtual Machine) can be
found almost everywhere. In the Python Vs Java war of Portability, Java wins.
Database Access
Like we’ve always said, Python’s database access layers are weaker than Java’s
JDBC (Java DataBase Connectivity). This is why it isn’t used in enterprises
rarely use it in critical database applications.
Interpreted
With tools like IDLE, you can also interpret Python instead of compiling it.
While this reduces the program length and boosts productivity, it also results
in slower overall execution.
Easy to Use
Now because of its simplicity and shorter code, and because it is
dynamically-typed, Python is easy to pick up. If you’re just stepping into the

world of programming, beginning with Python is a good choice. Not only is it
easy to code, but it is also easy to understand. Readability is another
advantage. However, this isn’t the same as Java. Because it is so verbose, it
takes some time to really get used to it.
Popularity and Community
If we consider the popularity and community factor for Python vs Java, we see
that for the past few decades, Java has been the 2nd most popular language
(TIOBE Index). It has been here since 1995 and has been the ‘Language of the
Year’ in the years 2005 and 2015. It works on a multitude of devices- even
refrigerators and toasters.
Python, in the last few years, has been in the top 3, and was titled ‘Language of
the Year’ in years 2007, 2010, and 2018. Python has been here since 1991.
Can we just say it is the easiest to learn? It is a great fit as an introductory
programming language in schools. Python is equally versatile with
applications ranging from data science and machine learning to web
development and developing for Raspberry Pi.
While Java has one large corporate sponsor- Oracle, Python is open-source
(CPython) and observes distributed support.
Use Cases
Python: Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics,
Websites, Games, Computer Vision (Facilities like face-detection and
color-detection), Web Scraping (Harvesting data from websites), Data

Analysis, Automating web browsers, Scripting, Scientific Computing Java:
Application servers, Web applications, Unit tests, Mobile applications,
Desktop applications, Enterprise applications, Scientific applications, Web
and Application Servers, Web Services, Cloud-based applications, IoT, Big
Data Analysis, Games
Best for
While Python is best for Data Science, AI, and Machine Learning, Java does
best with embedded and cross-platform applications.
Frameworks
Python: Django, web2py, Flask, Bottle, Pyramid, Pylons, Tornado,
TurboGears, CherryPy, Twisted
Java: Spring, Hibernate, Struts, JSF (Java Server Faces), GWT (Google Web
Toolkit), Play!, Vaadin, Grails, Wicket, Vert.x
Preferability for Machine Learning and Data
Science
Python is easier to learn and has simpler syntax than Java. It is better for
number crunching, whereas Java is better for general programming. Both
have powerful ML libraries- Python has PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn,
matplotlib, and Seaborn, and Java has Weka, JavaML, MLlib, and
Deeplearning4j
Similarities of Python and Java

Besides differences, there are some similarities between Python and Java:
● In both languages, almost everything is an object
● Both offer cross-platform support
● Strings are immutable in both- Python and Java
● Both ship with large, powerful standard libraries
● Both are compiled to bytecode that runs on virtual machines
This was all about the difference between Python vs Java Tutorial.
Summary
So, after all, that we’ve discussed here in Python vs Java Tutorial, we come to
conclude that both languages have their own benefits. It really is up to you to
choose one for your project. While Python is simple and concise, Java is fast
and more portable. While Python is dynamically-typed, Java is
statically-typed. Both are powerful in their own realms, but we want to know
which one you prefer. Furthermore, if you have any query/question, feel free
to share with us!
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Python vs Java: Key Differences Explained

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Python vs Java: Key Differences Explained