Python and Google

True story: The first version of Google was written in Python. The reason: Python was the right language to express the original ideas that Larry Page and Sergey Brin had about how to index the web and organize search results. And they could run their ideas on a computer, too!

Guido van Rossum, Python’s creator

Why Python#

Guido van Rossum began to toy with Python as an idea over Christmas break, 1989. He explains:

I was looking for a “hobby” programming project that would keep me occupied during the week around Christmas. My office (a government-run research lab in Amsterdam) would be closed, but I had a home computer, and not much else on my hands. I decided to write an interpreter for the new scripting language I had been thinking about lately: a descendant of ABC that would appeal to Unix/C hackers. I chose Python as a working title for the project, being in a slightly irreverent mood (and a big fan of Monty Python’s Flying Circus).

In less than a decade, Python would become the language Google chose to build an initial form of its search engine.

In a few years, out of hundreds of other languages, many of which had been around for several more years than Python, the latter became one of the top four or five.

Python gained in popularity for any number of reasons. U of C Berkeley argues that Python is:

  • Flexible and Reusable

“[Python] easily integrates various modules into programming, making it simple to implement programs related to artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, data analytics and more.”

  • Community and Support

[The Python] community for this highly reliable programming language is large, offering extensive support for developers of all experience levels.

  • Interpreted

Python 3 is interpreted, which makes it more time-efficient and portable compared to other programming languages.

  • Clear Structure

Python 3 avoids traditional programming syntax and instead uses a clear structure when creating code, making it much easier for beginners to read and edit their projects.

  • In Demand

One of the best reasons to learn Python 3 is that it is in high demand. In fact, some surveys indicate that it is currently the most in-demand programming language, making it a highly marketable skill.

(Ok, this is a bit of circular or recursive reasoning. But that’s appropriate for a programming language.)

  • The Choice of Big Names

[Large tech companies use it.] Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Twitter are just a handful that can help you grasp the extent of Python’s capabilities and reliability.

Python is, when compared to other languages, relatively easy to learn. Yet it is a premiere high-level language. We could use others, but why argue with success?

See also