Difference Between Perl and Python: When it comes to scripting languages, Perl and Python are two popular choices for developers. Both have their own unique features and benefits, making them suitable for different types of projects. In this article, we will be comparing Perl and Python by highlighting the top 50 differences between the two languages.
Perl Vs Python
Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, understanding the differences between Perl and Python can help you choose the right language for your project. So, let’s dive in and explore the key differences between Perl vs Python.
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What is the basic difference between Python vs Perl?
Take a look at this section to gain a comprehensive understanding of Perl and Python
What is Perl?
Perl is a high-level, interpreted programming language used for a variety of tasks, such as web development, network programming, system administration, and more. It was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 and has undergone numerous updates and revisions since then. Perl is known for its powerful regular expressions, which allow for complex pattern matching and text manipulation. It is also known for its flexibility, with the ability to write both procedural and object-oriented code. Perl has a large and active user community, with a wealth of resources available for learning and development. Overall, Perl is a versatile and reliable programming language used by developers across a wide range of industries and applications.
What is Python?
Python is a high-level, interpreted programming language that was first released in 1991. It is widely used for web development, scientific computing, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more. Python is known for its simplicity, ease of use, and readability, making it an ideal language for beginners. Its syntax is designed to be easily readable and its indentation-based block structure helps to reduce the amount of code needed to perform a given task. Python is an open-source language with a large and supportive community, which has contributed to its popularity and availability of numerous libraries and frameworks.
Top 50 Differences Between Perl and Python
This article explores the top 50 differences between Perl and Python, comparing their syntax, features, and suitability for various programming tasks.
| Serial Number | Perl | Python |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Perl is older than Python. | Python is younger than Perl. |
| 2. | Perl was designed to be a script-oriented language. | Python was designed to be an object-oriented language. |
| 3. | Perl has a concise syntax that uses many symbols and punctuation marks. | Python has a clear, readable syntax that emphasizes white space and indentation. |
| 4. | Perl has a reputation for being difficult to read and write. | Python has a reputation for being easy to read and write. |
| 5. | Perl has a large library of built-in functions and modules. | Python has an even larger library of built-in functions and modules. |
| 6. | Perl has a strong tradition of regular expressions and pattern matching. | Python also supports regular expressions and pattern matching, but it is not as central to the language. |
| 7. | Perl is particularly good at handling text and string manipulation. | Python is particularly good at handling scientific computing, data analysis, and machine learning. |
| 8. | Perl has a built-in debugger for troubleshooting code. | Python also has a built-in debugger, but it is less widely used. |
| 9. | Perl has a large community of developers and users. | Python has an even larger and more active community. |
| 10. | Perl has a large number of third-party modules available. | Python has an even larger number of third-party modules available. |
| 11. | Perl has a flexible approach to variable types. | Python has a more strict approach to variable types. |
| 12. | Perl uses sigils to indicate variable types ($ for scalar, @ for array, % for hash). | Python does not use sigils; variable types are inferred from context. |
| 13. | Perl supports multiple inheritance. | Python also supports multiple inheritance, but it is less commonly used. |
| 14. | Perl has a reputation for being hard to learn. | Python has a reputation for being easy to learn. |
| 15. | Perl has a large number of one-liners for performing common tasks. | Python does not have as many one-liners, but it has a larger number of libraries for specific tasks. |
| 16. | Perl has a built-in mechanism for handling command-line arguments. | Python also has a built-in mechanism, but it is less flexible. |
| 17. | Perl has a large number of operators for manipulating data. | Python has a smaller number of operators, but they are more expressive. |
| 18. | Perl has a reputation for being a “write-only” language. | Python has a reputation for being a “readable” language. |
| 19. | Perl has a large number of code snippets and examples available online. | Python also has a large number of code snippets and examples available online. |
| 20. | Perl has a large number of web frameworks available. | Python also has a large number of web frameworks available, but they are generally considered to be more mature and better documented. |
| 21. | Perl has a built-in regular expression engine. | Python also has a built-in regular expression engine, but it is generally considered to be more powerful and flexible. |
| 22. | Perl has a large number of community-driven projects, such as CPAN. | Python also has a large number of community-driven projects, such as PyPI. |
| 23. | Perl has a built-in garbage collector for managing memory. | Python also has a built-in garbage collector for managing memory. |
| 24. | Perl has a strong tradition of system administration and automation. | Python is also commonly used for system administration and automation. |
| 25. | Perl has a strong tradition of bioinformatics and genomics. | Python is also commonly used in bioinformatics and genomics. |
| 26. | Perl has a larger number of operators for bitwise manipulation. | Python has a smaller number of operators for bitwise manipulation. |
| 27. | Perl has a built-in function for sorting arrays (@array = sort @array). | Python has a built-in method for sorting lists (list.sort()). |
| 28. | Perl has a built-in function for reversing arrays (@array = reverse @array). | Python has a built-in method for reversing lists (list.reverse()). |
| 29. | Perl has a more compact syntax for anonymous subroutines (sub { … }). | Python has a more verbose syntax for anonymous functions (lambda x: …). |
| 30. | Perl has a built-in function for joining arrays into strings ($string = join(‘,’, @array)). | Python has a built-in method for joining lists into strings (‘delimiter’.join(list)). |
| 31. | Perl has a built-in function for splitting strings into arrays (@array = split(‘,’, $string)). | Python has a built-in method for splitting strings into lists (string.split(‘delimiter’)). |
| 32. | Perl uses curly braces to delimit code blocks ({ … }). | Python uses indentation to delimit code blocks. |
| 33. | Perl supports C-style for loops (for (my $i=0; $i<$n; $i++) { … }). | Python supports a more concise for-each loop (for x in iterable: …). |
| 34. | Perl has a built-in function for finding the length of an array (scalar @array). | Python has a built-in function for finding the length of a list (len(list)). |
| 35. | Perl has a more complex syntax for file input/output. | Python has a simpler syntax for file input/output. |
| 36. | Perl has a built-in function for searching arrays for specific values (grep { $_ == $value } @array). | Python has built-in methods for searching lists for specific values (list.index(value)) and for filtering lists based on a condition (list.filter(function)). |
| 37. | Perl has a more powerful regular expression engine that supports backtracking. | Python’s regular expression engine does not support backtracking, which can make it more efficient in certain cases. |
| 38. | Perl has a built-in function for generating random numbers (rand()). | Python also has a built-in function for generating random numbers (random.random()). |
| 39. | Perl has a more complex syntax for error handling. | Python has a simpler syntax for error handling using try-except blocks. |
| 40. | Perl has a built-in function for rounding numbers (sprintf(‘%.2f’, $number)). | Python also has a built-in function for rounding numbers (round(number, 2)). |
| 41. | Perl has a more complex syntax for object-oriented programming. | Python has a simpler syntax for object-oriented programming. |
| 42. | Perl has a built-in function for formatting strings (sprintf(‘Hello, %s!’, $name)). | Python also has a built-in function for formatting strings (‘Hello, {}!’.format(name)). |
| 43. | Perl has a built-in function for finding the index of the first occurrence of a substring in a string (index($string, $substring)). | Python has a built-in method for finding the index of the first occurrence of a substring in a string (string.index(substring)). |
| 44. | Perl has a built-in function for converting a string to uppercase (uc($string)). | Python has a built-in method for converting a string to uppercase (string.upper()). |
| 45. | Perl has a built-in function for converting a string to lowercase (lc($string)). | Python has a built-in method for converting a string to lowercase (string.lower()). |
| 46. | Perl has a built-in function for extracting a substring from a string (substr($string, $start, $length)). | Python has built-in string slicing for extracting substrings (string[start:end]). |
| 47. | Perl has a more complex syntax for multi-dimensional arrays. | Python has a simpler syntax for multi-dimensional lists. |
| 48. | Perl has a built-in function for finding the maximum or minimum value in an array (max(@array) or min(@array)). | Python has built-in functions for finding the maximum or minimum value in a list (max(list) or min(list)). |
| 49. | Perl has a more complex syntax for handling complex numbers. | Python has a simpler syntax for handling complex numbers. |
| 50. | Perl has a built-in function for getting the current date and time (localtime()). | Python has a built-in module for getting the current date and time (datetime.datetime.now()). |
Perl Vs Python | Conclusion
Both Perl and Python have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice between them ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the user. Understanding the differences between Perl and Python can help in making an informed decision when choosing a programming language for a project. The Top 50 Differences Between Perl and Python highlighted in this article can serve as a useful guide for programmers looking to compare these two languages.
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