Python Programming is probably the most trending language now and is very attractive to several programmers due to its general-purpose nature, clear & neat code, the simpler programming process, and a plethora of valuable libraries. It seems like Python is becoming a widely prevalent language. We mostly know that Python is used in data analysis, machine learning, web development, and different processes automation. But what about Python for mobile development?
As per the Python developer survey, only 1 percent of respondents use this programming language for app development. Nonetheless, it’s not as famous in mobile app development, but that does not mean you should forget about Python if you are working with mobile apps. This article will cover the Python features and why it is a perfect suit for the project.
Python Programming is Attractive from the business perspective due to the below factors:
- Development speed & flexibility
- Easy to learn, simple & clear syntax, if plan to control development or build yourself
- Seamless integration with other languages like Java, PHP, & .NET
- Extended and simultaneously free ecosystem, which is constantly improving due to open-source nature
- A plethora of libraries for performing any data manipulation
Backend in Python programming
Python usage is quite common on the server-side. IT giants such as Dropbox, Pinterest, Mozilla, Reddit, Instagram, and Spotify use Python for their complex backend processes. Talking about Python programming frameworks, teams usually choose between Flash & Django. Flask is a better choice for developing apps with Python programming, which are simple and easy to learn.
Flask is a microframework as it doesn’t need specific tools or libraries. Considering that Flash lacks some essential components such as form validation & database abstraction, it can benefit Python developers who are fascinated by minimalist frameworks. Moreover, Flask might be a light framework, and the risk for experiencing Flash security bugs is minimal.
Django is an open-source web framework developed above Python programming. The main purpose of this framework is to facilitate the super-quick development of backend apps. It is a pretty reliable tech. The development & support for Django displays no sign of stopping anytime soon as big companies have created their apps using this framework.
Benefits:
- Straightforward syntax, which widely speeds the development process. You need not worry about all the things that you require in other languages, precisely those issues of casting or variable types.
- Pointer to Infuse Anchor: Distributes the rare events for understanding the poisson distribution and other statistical methods.
- Python programming supports the GUI (graphical user interfaces) needed in web development.
- Python programming’s semantic structure makes it more readable. In comparison, reading code in other languages such as C or Java might make it hard to understand because of different coding styles. To boost comprehension & productivity while developing software in a team, it’s a good idea to choose Python programming.
- With the integration libraries for Python programming like Cython & Jython, it’s simpler to cross-platform by syncing with other languages like Java or C++.
Downsides:
- This is an interpreted language. Hence, it has relatively slow performance to implement apps that need huge stacks of complex computations.
- Overall, Python programming isn’t the best case for scalable projects. Big projects typically need to perform tasks simultaneously, but Python has GIL (Global Interpreter Lock), which doesn’t allow it, making it run only one thread at a time.
Moreover, Python programming is dynamically typed. But, dynamically typed languages are not apt for vast projects with expanding development teams. As it grows, the system slowly becomes widely complex and challenging to preserve.
Frontend with Python programming
Python does not have in-built mobile interface capabilities and it isn’t supported as an official language by either of the two most extensively used mobile OS — Android & iOS. But, Python has many frameworks that can be used for this purpose. The most trending ones are Beeware & Kivy.
Kivy is a cross-platform framework. It doesn’t try to use native controls or widgets. All its widgets are custom-drawn, meaning, Kivy apps will look the same across all platforms. But it also means that your app’s look & feel will vary from your user’s native app. This could be an advantage or a downside, depending on your target audience.
While you’re developing apps with Python, your app will look similar on all platforms, and you won’t be required to compile your code after every change. On the other hand, the BeeWare framework offers native interfaces for Android, iOS, macOS, Web, tvOS, and Windows.
Downsides:
- As stated previously — Python is an interpreted programming language, meaning its processing speed is slow.
- Since Python is a language using dynamic structures, it needs more memory space compared to other programming languages. It is not suitable for use in development due to memory restrictions.
- Community is lacking in this area of Python development. Hence, it’s more difficult to find tutorials, responses to your questions, & code solutions on the Internet.
- Python isn’t that good at graphics.
- Kivy framework does not offer several functions & platform-specific features other than native mobile languages such as Kotlin, Java, and Swift.
Conclusion
Hopefully, we have answered your questions on how to create a mobile app using Python. Even though using Python is not common, you can find it helpful in some cases. It depends on the project’s purpose. Python is great for startups as it’s easy to learn python and a well-known language; you can also find developers with a limited budget—for instance, interns or juniors. Moreover, developing an app with Python is an ideal solution for testing your app ideas.
Python is the best option for the data science field, machine learning, and AI. For instance, you can put AI & ML bots built with Python in a Java app. Using Python for mobile apps is barely a good suit for a mobile app front-end since Python isn’t built for that kinda thing. But there are some promising projects like BeeWare & Kivy. Perhaps someone can create a Python mobile app framework to do iOS or Android development. Technology is evolving very fast; it’s almost impossible to forecast what might happen next.
Author Bio:
Harnil Oza is CEO of Hyperlink InfoSystem, one of the leading app development companies in New York and India, having a team of the best app developers who deliver the best mobile solutions mainly on Android and iOS platforms. He regularly contributes his knowledge to leading blogging sites like app development companies.
