How to Become a Python Developer

As there is no specific background or experience required for you to become a Python Developer, there are a number of ways you can enter the field. It all starts, however, with a specific set of skills, and more specifically, a mastery of the Python programming language.

Many Developers find that the Python programming language has a lot of features that give it an edge over other programming languages.

For instance, easy syntax and readability makes learning Python a lot easier, which should help you boost your skills with Python relatively quickly. And based on Stack Overflow question views in World Bank high-income countries, Python is only rising in popularity among programming languages.

How to Become a Python Developer in Three Steps:

1. Learn to read and write in Python
2. Work on projects with Python to develop your skills
3. Develop a portfolio of projects completed with Python

Since Python is relatively easy and intuitive for newcomers to learn, a Python Programming course, online tutorial, or coding bootcamp could help you quickly learn how to read and write in the language and leave you feeling like a Python pro in a very short period of time.

Because Python is a versatile, general-purpose, and extremely popular programming language, it’s often considered the best first language for newcomers to learn.

It’s an excellent choice as an introductory language because it is concise and easy to read, even for people with no experience with coding or computer science. And since it’s so widely useful — it can be used for everything from web development to software development or even scientific applications — it’s really a language any programmer should have in his or her stack.

Python is also one of the most widely used languages for Back-End Developers, Data Scientists, and Machine Learning Engineers.

And because it’s relatively straightforward, some courses promise they can make you a Python professional in as little time as 25 hours.

BrainStation, for example, offers a part-time online Python Programming Course.

One surefire way to develop your skills with the Python programming language is to work on Python projects.

Getting your hands dirty with a fun project will sharpen your skills and ensure that you’re ready when you face challenges in the future.

As you build your experience with the Python programming language, it’s important to develop a portfolio of projects completed with Python to showcase your work, including importing, exporting, and manipulating data sets, as well as visualizations such as graphs, bar charts, and more.

If you’re not actively employed and building your portfolio on a day-to-day basis, take this time to come up with ideas for projects that you can execute and later add to your GitHub. That way, when it’s time to apply for Python Developer jobs, you can show an employer that you know how to get your hands dirty with code. A few ideas for projects include organizing files on your machine, keeping track of your digital collections, or training a neural network.

Another option is to pursue one of many Python Programming courses. That way, you’ll develop your portfolio and master Python under the supervision and tutelage of an industry professional who knows exactly what employers are looking for.

Further, you’ll receive a certification that will help you stand out from the pack and could potentially correlate to a higher Python Developer salary.

Unlike HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the “building blocks of the internet,” Python is a general-purpose programming language, which means that it can be used for more than web development, including software development, writing system scripts, and perhaps most importantly for the future – data science.

Created by Guido van Rossum in 1991, the intention behind Python was to help Developers write clear, logical code, and this philosophy has made it one of the most popular programming languages. According to BrainStation’s 2020 Digital Skills Survey, Python is used by 25.4 percent of Developers – a number that’s on the rise.

The introduction of Python 2.0 brought the language into its modern form in the early 2000s. But at its core, it remains the same. Python code uses the “object-oriented” paradigm, so it’s usually the best option both for large-scale projects and smaller programs.

The Python Package Index shows thousands of third-party modules for Python.

Some of Python’s uses include: web and Internet development (using frameworks such as Django and Pyramind); scientific and numeric computing; teaching programming, both at introductory and advanced levels; software development; and building eCommerce platforms.

Yes, the popularity and demand for Python programming – and the demand for Python Developers – continues to grow at a consistent rate. One estimate has over 40,000 jobs currently available for professionals with Python programming skills and experience.

This increase in demand is partly down to the popularity of the Python programming language itself. According to the TIOBE Programming Community index, which tracks the popularity of programming languages around the world, Python is currently the third most popular programming language, and one of the fastest-growing programming languages.

In an independent survey, it was also found that the Python programming language is currently the most popular language for Data Scientists around the globe.

Further proof of Python’s popularity is that 41 large organizations in the world have adopted Python as their primary programming language in a very short period of time. Some of the major companies that now have most of their new code written in Python include Quora, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Dropbox, Pinterest, and Reddit. Google too has committed to using it more in its new product offerings.

In simplest terms, a Python Developer is a Developer who uses the Python programming language to design, code, and debug applications and projects.

Because of the versatility of the language, however, a Python Developer may have a number of tasks, including data collection and analytics, automation, web development and design, scripting, and more.

In addition, a Developer’s reliance on Python does not always make them a Python Developer. And over the course of a Python Developer career, you may work under a range of different job titles, such as Web Developer, Software Engineer, and Data Analyst, among others.

In these roles, you may create an application for your employer, design the framework for your code, build tools as necessary to get the job done, create websites, or publish new services.

Like most programming positions, the specifics of this job vary based on the needs of your employer. Some Python Developers work as independent contractors instead of being exclusive to one company.

Python Developers may also be responsible for a variety of duties including: writing and implementing high-availability, low-latency and performant applications; create database schemas representing and supporting business processes; and integrating user-facing elements developed by Front-End Developers with server-side logic.

According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for a Python Developer is $76,526 in the United States, with salaries ranging from $58,000 to $107,000.

You can become a Python Developer with no experience, but as outlined above, the only way to accomplish this is by building the right skills and then being able to demonstrate these skills. Seek out the right training options to learn Python, then start coding in Python as much as possible!

How to Get a Python Job with No Experience

• Ensure you know the Python basics: programming, libraries, frameworks, and ORM libraries
• Freelance as a Python Developer to build your portfolio
• Contribute to open source projects on Github
• Start a blog documenting your projects and journey learning Python

Beginning your career as a freelance Python Developer is another way to get a foot in the door with no experience. That will allow you to begin building your portfolio and making industry contacts that could lead to a job.

Another idea is to make open-source contributions. You can look up other people’s repositories on GitHub and make contributions to their associated projects. That demonstrates that you’re a team player who can add value to existing work.

Finally, you could start a blog to gain credibility and attention. You could write about your journey as a Python Developer, the projects you’re working on, and what materials you used for collecting information. This gives recruiters a chance to quickly learn your coding style.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the basic skills you will need to build to become a Python Developer:

Python

It should go without saying but you will need to master the Python programing language to become a Python Developer.

To start, you will have to learn essential concepts in Python, including:

• Object-oriented programming
• Basic Python syntax
• Semantics
• Primitive data types
• Arithmetic operators.

Python was designed for readability, and has some similarities to the English language with influence from mathematics.

Python Libraries

As an open-source, community-based programming language, Python has a wide range of libraries available, and these resources can simplify your life as a Python Developer. Different projects will require different libraries, but it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the most common, including Pandas and NumPy.

The Python Package Index (PyPI) is a repository of software for the Python programming language.

Python Frameworks

You will be required to know Python Frameworks to become a Python Developer, but like the libraries mentioned above, what you work with will depend on your project. Some of the most common Python Frameworks, however, include Django, Flask, and CherryPy, among others.

The majority of Python Frameworks are exclusively server-side technology, although some Web frameworks are beginning to include AJAX code that helps Developers with the difficult task of programming (client-side) the user’s browser.

ORM Libraries

It’s also extremely helpful for Python Developers to be familiar with Object Relational Mapper (ORM) libraries, such as SQLAlchemy or Django ORM, which can help convert data between incompatible systems.

ORMs provide a high-level abstraction upon a relational database, allowing Developers to write Python code instead of SQL to create, update, read, and remove data and schemas in their database.