Python Developer: What They Can Do, Earn, and More

Python is a programming language used for a variety of programming tasks, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data analytics, and data visualization. Other uses include programming applications, web development, game development, quantitative and qualitative analysis, creating new programming languages, and developing graphic design applications. 

The increasing complexity of web applications and websites and the growing reliance on machine learning and AI contribute to the steady demand for Python developers. 

In this article, you'll explore what a Python developer does and the advantages of working with this programming language. Afterward, if you'd like to learn in-demand Python skills and become a job-ready developer, consider enrolling in the Microsoft Python Development Professional Certificate.

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What is a Python developer? 

Python developers design, code, and deploy development projects in the Python language. They also work on debugging those same projects to ensure they function as intended.

As a Python developer, you'll work closely with other teams, including data collection and analytics, to help answer questions and provide insight. Some of the projects you could work on span everything from application development to machine learning and AI.

Becoming proficient in Python and its uses opens the door to job possibilities in various industries. Ultimately, your role and responsibilities will likely vary depending upon the industry and organization you work within.

Advantages of Python application development

Python is a versatile language for coding and one of the most popular programming languages for everything else [1]. As a Python developer, you can use your skills to tackle multiple challenges. Additional advantages of Python include the following:   

Python’s one of the easiest languages to learn.

Python is among the easiest programming languages to learn because it prioritizes readability and relies on a syntax much like the English language commands. You also need fewer lines of code to perform tasks than other languages like Java and C or C++.

Python is very popular

The PYPL (PopularitY of Programming Language) Index shows that Python is the most-searched programming language among people searching for tutorials on Google [2].

Additionally, Stack Overflow's 2024 Developer Survey revealed that Python is the third most popular programming language, with respondents saying that they use Python almost 51 percent of the time in their development work [3]. Survey results also showed that Python is an admired technology, with 67.6 percent of respondents reporting they want to work with Python in the future [4].

It's an open-source language.

You don’t have to pay to use Python. It is an open-source programming language, so you can download the source code for free, make any changes, and distribute your version.

This is helpful if you need to modify a specific portion of the language and use it for development. Additionally, the Python development community is very supportive, with many developers, scientists, and designers connecting and assisting when needed.

Python has extensive support libraries.

The Standard Library offers solutions to many of the challenges you may face as a Python developer.

For example, if you need to perform numerical calculations, you can use NumPy—a collection of resources. Or, if you’re working on data analytics, you can use the Pandas library. However, you can explore other extensive Python libraries if you can't find what you need there. 

How to become a Python developer

You can start learning the skills you need to become a Python developer with an online course or boot camp. 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.

Python is portable and interactive.

Some programming languages, such as C and C++, require you to change your code if you’re running it on a different platform, but this isn’t the case with Python.

You don't have to change anything about your code to run this interactive language on multiple systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Being interactive is particularly helpful when you're engaged in debugging, as you can see line-by-line results and quickly pinpoint errors. 

Python can boost your productivity.

Python is an object-oriented programming language. This feature has made it a favorite among many users because it means they can create applications using pre-existing objects, allowing for improved productivity and faster prototyping.

Python's design gives you improved process control, stellar integration capabilities, and a unit-testing framework that makes it a highly efficient language. 

Disadvantages of Python

While you may find many benefits to using Python, even the most in-demand programming language has drawbacks.

Despite its high efficiency, for example, one of Python's biggest disadvantages is that it can have considerably slower runtimes than compiled programming languages like C and C++, which can become an issue for large projects with many lines of code. 

Python is an interpreted programming language that is dynamically typed, meaning it is checked during execution. The interpreter slows things down a bit as it executes the code written line-by-line. However, many coders find that the speed at which they can write code balances out the slowdown during execution.

Three additional disadvantages include the following:

• High memory use: Python uses a lot of memory because of the flexibility of the data types and automatic garbage collection that occurs when objects go out of scope. 

• Unorthodox choice for developing mobile apps: Because of its memory inefficiency and slower processing power, Python is rarely the first choice language for mobile computing and mobile app development. You can still do it, but you’ll have an easier time using a framework like Kivy.

• Database limitations: While Python is in high demand for large-scale web development, it isn't as popular in enterprise development, mainly because database access is limited and underdeveloped compared to other technologies like ODBC. 

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Python use cases

Python's versatility, ease of use, and availability make it an attractive programming solution for many of today's most used programs across the internet. In fact, you don't have to go far to see Python in action, as you can see from the websites below that are among Python users.

Google

Developers use Python for everything from system building to system administration, and Google has always considered it among its most vital languages. Python's creator, Guido Van Rossum, worked at Google between 2005 and 2012. The company's motto, "Python where we can, C++ where we must," describes how much the teams rely on this versatile programming language. Core search algorithms, APIs,  and Google App Engine are just a few ways Google uses Python. 

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YouTube

YouTube has more than 2.5 billion active users every month [5]. YouTube’s advertising revenue accounted for 10.25 percent of Google’s total revenue in 2023 [6]. Coders and developers use Python for various reasons, including video viewing, controlling website templates, accessing canonical data, and more. Python's speed enables developers to create features quickly. Every time you watch a video on YouTube, you’re witnessing Python code in action.

Facebook

While Python isn’t Facebook’s main language, the platform uses Python in the infrastructure’s codebase of its platform. Given the size and scope of Facebook, that translates to thousands of libraries and millions of lines of code. Python handles the lifecycle of Facebook's hardware, including everything from scheduling and automating maintenance to server imaging and network switch setup. Facebook parent company Meta also relies on Python to run Instagram and support data science and machine learning needs.

Netflix

Although Netflix lets its developers pick the languages they code in, many engineers use Python to code and handle important applications. Python's clean, simple syntax and large developer community enable Netflix developers to innovate quickly. They've used Python for most projects, including Chronos, Chaos Gorilla, and its Regional failover system, which decreases outage response time from 45 minutes to seven minutes without increasing cost.

Python developer salary

As software developers, Python developers in the US can expect an average pay of $97,549 per year [7], according to Glassdoor. Where you live and who you work for can significantly impact how much you can expect to earn. Glassdoor lists Meta, Airbnb, and Pinterest, among others, as top-paying companies [7].

Start learning Python skills on Coursera.

Python is a popular and versatile programming language that can help you start a career as a Python application developer. If you're new to Python, you might consider building a foundation with Python for Everybody from the University of Michigan. Interested in a career working with Python? Build job-ready skills and earn a credential for your resume with the Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate. 

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