


However, Ruby has one advantage: it can add methods to existing classes, while Python by default can't do this (although it's possible with the use of external libraries). That said, Python has moved more towards being a true object orientated language over the last few years. When it comes to object oriented programming, Ruby used to have the upper hand, as it was built specifically for object orientation. So you can see that in Python, you import only what you need, nothing else.Īgain, you can use the same paradigms in both languages (procedural, functional, object oriented. In the first example (Python), we are importing the Twitter() class from the twitter library, while in the latter example (Ruby), we are simply importing the twitter library, giving us access to the entire library, not just the Twitter() class. You can see just how explicit Python is based on this example: It can take upwards of six months to become proficient in Ruby. It takes a while to grasp exactly what is happening. Beneath the elegant surface, there's a lot of magic happening. Ruby takes much longer to learn due to its flexibility. One can literally become proficient in two to three months. Without a doubt, Python is much easier to learn because of how the language is structured - and how explicit it is. More differencesĪs you can imagine, there are many more differences than just the syntax and philosophies of the two languages.

The second example is the most readable, so that should probably be used in most situations. The latter two probably are not the best to do since you have to use an extra library and list comprehensions can often be hard to read, respectively. The difference is that there is one right way of doing this given the situation. > from copy import copy > my_new_list = copy( my_list)
Python vs ruby on rails code#
The following snippets of code are for solving the Fibonacci sequence: One could argue that this only benefits advanced Python users, though. Although Python does not have this principle in mind when making the language, it also behaves quite like this by make pretty much everything work in a standard way. In order to behave like this Ruby tends to do things like having the same functions with different names, which can be confusing for beginners.

One principle very present in the design of Ruby is the principle of least astonishment - the language working the way you think it should. This can look good and be readable, depending on how it's coded - or it can be a mess. For example, you can put multiple statements on one line. Also, while Python focuses on simplicity, Ruby focuses on making the programmer happy, while this tends to be true and people can make truly beautiful programs, you can also often see messy code (especially from beginners) that can be difficult for other developers to read( or even themselves in a not so distant future). With more freedom and less syntactical rules, many Rubyists believe that Ruby is a much more elegant language - and it is. I’d rather provide many ways if it’s possible, but encourage or guide users to choose a better way if it’s possible. But the difference from one person to the next is so big, providing only one way is little help even if you’re using Python, I think. Everyone can write the same style of Python code, so it can be easier to read, maybe. Maybe Python code is a bit more readable. But if there is a better way among many alternatives, I want to encourage that way by making it comfortable. I want to give them the freedom to choose. I inherited that philosophy from Larry Wall, who is my hero actually. Ruby inherited the Perl philosophy of having more than one way to do the same thing. While Python values one main way of solving a problem, Ruby - influenced by Perl - provides the developer with more freedom and power: we get to one of the main differences between Python and Ruby. There should be one – and preferably only one – obvious way to do it Highly recommended!įinally, if shortened to one major point. These 19 guidelines can be trimmed down to five points:Įssentially, Pythonists value code readability and productivity over all else.Ĭheck out this Slideshare to see examples of all the guidelines in use. This is what is known as the Zen of Python, which are the guiding principles of Python. Namespaces are one honking great idea - let's do more of those! If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea. If the implementation is hard to explain, it's a bad idea. There should be one- and preferably only one -obvious way to do it.Īlthough that way may not be obvious at first unless you're Dutch.Īlthough never is often better than *right* now. In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess. Special cases aren't special enough to break the rules.
