Python vs. Scala

In this tutorial, we will learn the basic difference between Python and Scala. Both languages have some similarities but here we will see the main difference between them. Let’s start with their introduction.

What is Python?

Python is high-level, general purpose, and user-friendly dynamic programming language. It is easy to learn and take fewer lines to execute a code. Python provides many in-built libraries, modules and many other features. It is the one of the most popular programming languages.

Programmers prefer this language because of its simplicity, vast number of libraries, built-in modules. It is a very attractive language for Rapid Application Development. Python is used almost every domains such as web development, machine learning, artificial intelligence and many more. It is object-oriented programming.

What is Scala?

[Scala] stands for "scalable language , it is a general purpose, high-level programming language. It combines functional programming and object-oriented programming. It works upon the [JVM (Java Virtual Machine)] and includes with the prevailing [Java] Code and libraries.

In comparison of the other languages, scala code is error-free, short and readable. It is simple to use for writing, compiling, running programs and debugging. The scala source code is developed in a unique manner that its compiler can interpret the [Java classes].

Its static types helps programmer to avoid bug in the complex program. The [JavaScript] and JVM allow us to build the high-performance systems and that can be easily accessible to huge ecosystem of libraries.

Difference between Python and Scala

Let’s understand the following major difference between Python and Scala.

Sr. Python Scala
1. Python is object oriented, dynamic type programming language. Scala is object oriented, static type programming language.
2. Python is easy to learn. Scala is easier to learn than the Python.
3. It doesn’t need to specify the data type while declaring variables because it is a dynamic type programming language. In Scala, we need to define the type of variable and object because Scala is statically type programming language.
4. Python is slow because it runs on interpreter and creates extra work for it. There is no extra work created because and thus it runs much faster than the Python.
5. Python decides the data type at runtime. Scala doesn’t use this case that’s why it is more preferred language for large data process than Python.
6. Python has huge community across the world. Scala also has large community but not as Python.
7. Python is most recommended language for beginners because easy to write code in Python. Scala is easy to learn than Python but difficult to write code in Python.
8. Python provides wide range of the libraries and modules and there is an interface in Python to many OS system call and libraries. Scala is compiled language that’s why source code is compiled before execution.
9. There is much chance to create bug when we make the change in the existing Python code then There is no such type of problem.
10. Python doesn’t support proper multithreading, through it supports heavyweight process forking. Scala has a list of asynchronous libraries and reactive cores and hence it is better choice for implementing concurrently.
11. Python consists of proper data science of tools for machine learning and Natural language processing (NLP). Scala contains various existential types, macros, and implicit. The syntax with advance features may be little hard as compared to usual functions and however allow the developers to make good use of these features.
12. Python has extensive developer pool. Scala has limited developer pool.
13. Python is not suitable for concurrent programming. Scala is quite suitable for the concurrent programming.
14. Python can be used for the small scale project. Scala can be used for large-scale projects.
15. There are no scalable features. It provides scalable features support.

We have listed above all the important difference between Python and Scala. Both languages are quite different for each other but Python is a more popular and highly developed programming language. On the other hand, Scala doesn’t have widespread use or knowledge base.

Conclusion

The selection of the programming language entirely depends upon the features that best fit for the project need as both languages have pros and cons. It totally depends on the project requirements, time and efficiency and many other different discussed aspects. We can select any language to achieve the goal. Developer should analyze and must be familiar with the merits or demerits of programming languages.

It depends. Scala is a really hard language. Like to learn it fully is non-trivial, even if you know object oriented programming languages like C++ and Java. If you already knew F#, Haskell, and Java, then learning Scala would be a small step but if you don’t it’s not.

Python is a much easier language. A lot of stuff in Python is the same old OOP stuff.

The main place where you would use Scala is in backend, Spark, Real Time Data Streaming/Processing, Batch Processing, Non-blocking IO, Big Data, Messaging, Machine Learning Stuff. A lot of Scala jobs require experience in Java, Hadoop, Distributed Systems (Kafka), and even Machine Learning. Python is much more general. That being said, Scala teaches you things like design patterns, futures, distributed/concurrent algorithms.