No matter which field of work you want to go in, it is of great importance to learn at least one programming language. ― Ram Ray

The quote by the popular advertising professional, Ram Ray, perfectly describes the importance of programming languages today. Python vs Perl are two such popular frameworks and have been in the market since the 1970s. Each of them has their unique functionalities and their own pros & cons. While Python carries the advantage of a large community, Perl is popular for Text Manipulation and Data Scraping.

As a developer navigates his journey to coding, understanding the difference between top programming languages becomes essential. This post acts as a comparison guide between Perl vs Python and includes topics like pros, cons, features, use cases, and many more. Let’s start with some stats first!

Top Facts & Statistics of Python Programming Language

Facts & Statistics of Perl Programming Language

What is Perl?

Perl is a popular general-purpose programming language typically used for extracting information from text files or converting a text file into another format. The language is easy for users that have basic expertise in C, and C++ and supports object-oriented & procedural programming. Perl development is still used in several websites for text manipulation and other work.

The language was released in 1987 by US based programmer and linguist Larry Wall. The initial version was released to run computers on UNIX OSs. The acronym Perl stands for “Practical Extraction and Reporting Language”.

Perl Programming Language Use Cases

1. Text Manipulation

It should come as no surprise that the most common application for Perl is still text manipulation. Indeed, for nearly thirty years, Perl has been the preferred language for regex, HTML parsing, manipulating JSON, and other related tasks. To put it simply, no other programming language offers more robust or user-friendly text manipulation tools than this one.

Further, numerous Perl community modules are available to make almost any task related to manipulating, extracting, and altering strings easier.

2. Log Management

When it comes to interacting with the majority of log management platforms—from industry standards like Syslog to exclusive programs like Papertrail—Perl is indispensable in this regard. Of course, if you require a fully customized log management solution, you can also develop your own Perl scripts for aggregating and parsing logs. 

3. Text-to-Speech Translation

Perl may be used to translate text to speech using Google’s Translate Service in a manner similar to speech recognition, allowing speech to be synthesized from any language text. Text-to-speech software can help you incorporate useful functionality into your program, such as screen reading for accessibility, enabling multitasking, or even just teaching a new language, even if it may not sound as interesting as speech-to-text software. A top web development company in India still use the Perl programming language for such work. 

4. Web Page Serving

Do you want a Web server that is incredibly light and easily customizable? Compared to Apache HTTP, which has about 200,000 lines of code, you can implement one in Perl with less than 200 lines of code.

Although a basic Perl-based Web server is perfect for systems with very limited hardware resources, like you could find in an Internet of Things (IoT) deployment, you probably wouldn’t want to utilize the Perl version for regular production workloads. Alternatively, going over the Perl code might be very helpful if all you want to learn is some basic principles about how Web servers operate. 

5. Speech Recognition

Speech recognition is a sophisticated yet crucial capability for many applications, such as chatbots and virtual assistants. With modules like Google-Cloud-Speech, which offers an interface to Google’s Cloud Speech API, you can use Perl programming language to enable voice commands for data entry or to simply generate a text transcript of an audio file. 

Features of Perl Language

• Perl programming language uses Loops and braces for functions
• The language is highly expressive and thus requires less lines of code
• Supports Data Structures and Object Orientation in simple syntax
• It is used to write several frameworks
• The language is able to manage encrypted web data, including eCommerce transactions
• Perl programming language carries built-in functions to support operating system functions and text processing.
• Handles Data Management tasks efficiently using associative arrays
• It can be easily extended to over 25000 open source modules

Pros and Cons of Perl Programming Language

Pros of Perl:

1. Structured

To make programming easier to handle, Perl provides certain basic control structures. For instance, while creating websites, conditionals and loops can be used to perform actions and make decisions based on the input data that is received.

2. Easy to Use

Perl is classified as a high-level language and is easier to grasp than other languages, such as assembly language. Furthermore, its algorithms are also user-friendly due to their adaptation to a more human language. The language is still considered easy to use by top web development companies in India.

3. General Purpose

You can use Perl not only for web development but also for other contexts like data package management, system administration, Linux applications, etc.

4. Multiplatform

Perl gives you the choice to install it on different platforms and operating systems such as Windows and Linux.

5. Free to Use

The programming language is free to use and using it to create web pages does not require paying for a license.

6. Interpreted Language

Perl is an interpreted language, i.e. code that has already been created and is executed directly rather than being compiled.

7. Extensible

Perl allows you to utilize code written in other languages and build websites. You can also add new features and operations to an existing code.

Cons of Perl:

1. Slow Execution

You need speed when programming a web page so that you can test your changes or creations. However, compared to other languages like Python, Perl tends to be slower at first since it needs to be compiled before usage.

2. Lack of exception control

Perl programming language lacks exception controls even if it has control structures. With the help of these controls, you may manage page-level events, including an interrupted command sequence that stops users from taking a specific action.

3. Uses Computational Resources

Perl is not as light-weight as other programming languages and might require a lot of RAM and CPU power while it is being used. 

What is Python?

Python is a high-level programming language that facilitates developers to express functions in fewer lines of code. The language was initially released in 1991 by Guido van Rossum and Python Software Foundation. Python has a wide range of applications in web application development, Machine Learning, etc.

However, Python is also not the most resource-friendly language and might create memory issues as an interpreted language. A good Python development company will not use the language for lightweight apps. Further, the syntax of the language is comparatively easy as compared to other languages such as C, and Pascal.  

Python Programming Language Use Cases

1. Website Development

Python is a popular web development programming language among Python developers. A wide number of Python frameworks, including Pyramid, Django, and Flask, are included with Python for web development. These frameworks save a lot of time for a Python development company because they are filled with standard libraries that make protocol integration simple. 

2. Data science

Data science expertise is in high demand in the manufacturing, eCommerce, and IT sectors. Python can help in this situation. Its many libraries, including TensorFlow, NumPy, and Pandas, aid in the extraction of important data from the source. A data science expert is further able to concentrate on data visualization through graphs and charts with libraries like Matplotib and Seaborn. 

3. AI/ML

Python is a reliable language that can manage the calculations needed to create machine learning models. Further, some Python libraries, including NumPy, Pandas, and Keras, are ideal for building and operating ML apps. This is one of the other reasons why people hire Python developers for their AI/ML projects. 

4. Enterprise Apps

Python is used to create enterprise apps because it is a powerful language that can manage several database queries at once. Although Python is used differently in different organizations, its fundamental features—readability, usefulness, and scalability—remain the same. One of the most prominent applications of Python is in enterprise applications. Note that a Python development company uses tools like Odoo and Tryton to aid in the building of business apps. 

5. Game Development

Python has proved again and again that it is capable of contributing to the game development industry. Notably, Python was used as the programming language during the development of the popular action game, Battle Field 2. Python Web Developers employ a variety of Python frameworks, such as Pygame, PyKyra, Pyglet, PyOpenGL, Kivy, Panda3D, and more in developing games! 

Features of Python Language

• The language can be used for several modules and a wide range of functions are available for efficient Python applications development
• Compatible with other programming languages like C++, Java, C, and many more
• It can also be used to generate graphic user interfaces
• Python introduces the idea of objects and classes
• Python has a large library and is an interpretive language
• The language is easy to use, read, and learn
• Python is an expressive language and can work on different platforms like Linux, Windows, Macintosh, and more
• It carries a clean and elegant syntax making it a beginner-friendly choice
• Python is open source and has a vast active user base community that supports it

Pros and Cons of Python Programming Language

Pros of Python:

1. Easy to Use

The control structures in Python are simple to use and straightforward, making the language easier to read and debug. Furthermore, since Python is dynamically typed, declaring the type of each variable is not necessary. These factors make Python one of the most productive and efficient languages.

2. Beginner Friendly

Python is an excellent choice for individuals who are just starting their programming career. When moving from languages like C or Java to Python, programmers can quickly achieve maximum efficiency. An integrated development and learning environment (IDLE) is also included in the Python package.

3. Versatile Language

Procedural and object-oriented programming are fully supported in Python. Owing to its third-party and built-in packages, it can be used for a variety of tasks. In most cases, it is still a good alternative even if it isn’t the ideal one for the job. Furthermore, Python can contain code from other languages and other languages can contain code written in Python.

4. Efficient for Rapid Development

Python reduces development time because it is simple to use and does not require compilation. Programs written in Python are usually substantially shorter than those written in other languages. It is an excellent option for rapidly building prototypes in a setting that demands rapid software development.

5. True Portability

One of the main benefits of Python is that it only needs to be written once to run anywhere. Users run a true Python program instead of an executable since Python does not require pre-compilation. This implies that any system that supports Python may be able to run any Python program.

6. Open Source

Under an open-source license, all Python releases are freely downloadable. Even better, Python is free to change and release again. This lowers development expenses significantly.

7. Vast Community

The Python community is made up of many enthusiastic, engaged, and active members. Asking questions, looking for work, and locating educational materials and other resources are all simple processes. The community is also helpful if you want to hire Python developers or meet other experienced Python programmers. The community also has several people who offer Django development services.

Cons of Python:

1. Not Very Fast

Python is much slower than more effective languages like C and Java. Because Python is interpreted and dynamically typed, the run-time compiler has a lot of work ahead of it. Every variable’s type needs to be regularly confirmed. This suggests that Python is not the best choice when speed is of the essence.

2. Memory-Intensive

Python’s memory-saving mechanisms are not implemented. Ten times as much RAM can be used by it as by a program developed in a more economical language. But in exchange for the convenience and flexibility, there is a trade-off here. Additionally, there is less memory available because the Python garbage collector is unable to collect all resources that are disposed of right away. Environments with limited memory shouldn’t use Python.

3. Runtime Errors

Python is dynamically typed and does not compile until runtime. As a result, many issues that the compiler might have ordinarily detected do not surface until the program has been executed. This could involve something as basic as a syntax error, but it can also involve issues like attempting to add a string and an integer together. 

4. Not Much Traction in Applications

Python has not gained much traction in the mobile market due to its high memory usage and relatively slowness. Python development tools for mobile apps are more constrained. Although things are looking well for client desktops, front-end programs still don’t use Python all that much. 

Top Companies Using Perl vs Python

Python vs Perl – Key Differences to Know

Python vs Perl – Syntax Comparison

The syntax will be the first thing you notice. Because of its extensive use of special letters and symbols, Perl may seem confusing to novices. Python has a clear, straightforward syntax that prioritizes readability. 

Python vs Perl – Community Comparison

Both Python and Perl have sizable developer communities. Python boasts a larger community and more available materials. Many Python frameworks and libraries have been created and maintained by the community. Though not as huge as Python’s, Perl also has a sizable community. 

Perl vs Python – Popularity Comparison

Python is more widely used and has more job options. Python is the third most used programming language, according to the TIOBE index. Perl is at 18th place. Python is widely utilized in numerous domains, including web development, data science, machine learning, and automation, which contributes to its popularity. The language is also popular among web development companies in India.

Perl vs Python: Libraries Comparison

There are numerous libraries and Python frameworks available. This facilitates task completion and problem-solving. In comparison, Perl also has an extensive library but not as much as Python has. 

Python vs Perl – Comparison Table

Concluding Thought

So, this was the ultimate guide for comparing Perl vs Python. Note that both languages have their unique functionalities and operations along with some advantages & disadvantages. Thus, it is not right to consider one above the other. It completely depends upon the functionality required. You can also hire a Perl or Hire Python Developer if you want to get a project done. Konstant is a top-notch Python development company in India that has been serving clients for over 20 years. 

Top FAQs – Perl vs Python

1. Which is Better, Python vs Perl?

Python is usually considered better than Perl as the former is in high demand.

2. What is the Difference between Perl and Python?

Python is a general-purpose language used in different domains while Perl can be used for text processing

3. When was Python created?

Python was created by Guido van Rossum on Feb 20, 1991, as a successor to ABC language.

4. Which is easier to use: Perl vs Python?

Perl is a difficult language to learn and understand as compared to Python. 

5. Is Perl frontend or backend?

Perl can be used for frontend and backend development both with its new version. The initial version was released to extract reports and manipulate text quickly. 

5. Is Python easy for beginners?

Python is an easy-to-learn language for beginners and was released for simplifying the code-writing process.