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Don’t Start Coding With Python — Begin With C
Don’t fall for the hype surrounding Python. You might regret it later
Python is amazing for its ability to promote programming. It delicately endorses the proverbial “if you know English, you should know how to code” idea. With its English-like syntax, indentation paradigm, and extensive libraries, Python makes other programming languages look useless.
Python is the default programming language of “the sexiest job of the 21st century.” Yes, data buzzwords still make data scientists “sexy,” although the current circumstances wouldn’t fully support that claim. Impressively, Python happens to answer most if not all data science problems.
Python is also popular in blockchain, DevOps, and cybersecurity.
The hype around Python is growing exponentially. The language is used as a coding medium in countless online courses and academic programs.
With that said, and despite all of Python’s promises, the language isn’t a viable choice to test the programming waters. C is a better option.
In this article, I will lay before you the reasons why you should use C as a starting point rather than Python.
Start Strong
My thesis supervisor once told me, “Always start strong. The first punch decides the fate of the fight.”
Python is a high-level programming language. This means that Python enjoys a high degree of abstraction, allowing for a smooth connection between the user and the language.
In other words, the Pythonic interpretation mechanism tends to tolerate errors other programming languages are likely to flag. No variable declaration, no column chase, autocasting. All of this enhances the programming experience and makes Python user-friendly.
Interestingly, Python’s benefits are also its drawbacks. This “ready-to-eat” approach cultivates a fragile programming mindset that endorses impatience and laziness.
C, on the other hand, is a mid-level programming language. It sits between low-level programming languages (assembly, machine languages) and high-level languages (Python, Ruby, etc.). Practically speaking, this makes C harder to…
