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Python VS Ruby

Compare Python VS Ruby and see what are their differences

Python logo Python

Python is a clear and powerful object-oriented programming language, comparable to Perl, Ruby, Scheme, or Java.

Ruby logo Ruby

A dynamic, interpreted, open source programming language with a focus on simplicity and productivity
  • Python Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17

  • Ruby Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

We recommend LibHunt Ruby for discovery and comparisons of trending Ruby projects.

Python features and specs

  • Easy to Learn
    Python syntax is clear and readable, which makes it an excellent choice for beginners and allows for quick learning and prototyping.
  • Versatile
    Python can be used for web development, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, and more, making it a highly versatile programming language.
  • Large Standard Library
    Python comes with a comprehensive standard library that includes modules and packages for various tasks, reducing the need to write code from scratch.
  • Strong Community Support
    Python has a large and active community, which means a wealth of third-party packages, tutorials, and documentation is available for assistance.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Python is compatible with major operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing for easy development and deployment across different platforms.
  • Good for Rapid Development
    The high-level nature of Python allows for quick development cycles and fast iteration, which is ideal for startups and prototyping.

Possible disadvantages of Python

  • Performance Limitations
    Python is generally slower than compiled languages like C or Java because it is an interpreted language, which can be a drawback for performance-critical applications.
  • Global Interpreter Lock (GIL)
    The GIL in CPython, the most used Python interpreter, prevents multiple native threads from executing Python bytecodes at once, limiting multi-threading capabilities.
  • Memory Consumption
    Python can be more memory-intensive compared to some other languages, which might be a concern for applications with tight memory constraints.
  • Mobile Development
    Python is not a primary choice for mobile app development, where languages like Java, Swift, or Kotlin are more commonly used.
  • Runtime Errors
    Being a dynamically typed language, Python code can sometimes lead to runtime errors that would be caught at compile-time in statically typed languages.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing dependencies in Python projects can sometimes be complex and cumbersome, especially when dealing with conflicting versions of libraries.

Ruby features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Ruby is designed with a focus on simplicity and productivity. Its syntax is easy to read and write, which makes it accessible for beginners as well as enjoyable for seasoned developers.
  • Rich Libraries
    Ruby boasts a large ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, such as Ruby on Rails, which speed up the development process and provide robust solutions for common tasks.
  • Community Support
    Ruby has a vibrant and active community, which means lots of resources, gems (libraries), and forums are available for learning and problem-solving.
  • Dynamic Typing
    Ruby's dynamic typing allows for more flexible and rapid development, as it doesn't require variable type declarations and allows for more expressive code.
  • Meta-Programming
    Ruby has powerful meta-programming capabilities that allow developers to write more abstract and flexible code, reducing repetition and improving code maintainability.

Possible disadvantages of Ruby

  • Performance
    Ruby is generally slower compared to languages like C, Java, and Go. This can be a significant drawback for applications where performance is critically important.
  • Concurrency
    While Ruby has some support for concurrency, it is not as robust as in other languages like Java or Erlang. This can be a limitation for highly concurrent applications.
  • Memory Usage
    Ruby applications tend to consume more memory compared to those written in other languages, which can be a drawback for large-scale applications or resource-constrained environments.
  • Not Suitable for All Types of Applications
    While Ruby excels in web development, particularly with Ruby on Rails, it may not be the best choice for system-level programming, real-time systems, or applications requiring fine-grained control over hardware.
  • Dependency on Gems
    While the rich ecosystem of gems is a strength, it can also be a downside. Over-reliance on third-party libraries can lead to dependencies on potentially unmaintained or poorly supported gems.

Python videos

Creator of Python Programming Language, Guido van Rossum | Oxford Union

Ruby videos

Ruby Programming Language - Full Course

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Python and Ruby)
Programming Language
80 80%
20% 20
OOP
77 77%
23% 23
Generic Programming Language
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Python and Ruby

Python Reviews

Pine Script Alternatives: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Indicator Languages
Technical analysis in trading has come a long way, with various programming languages emerging to support traders in developing custom indicators. While Pine Script has been a popular choice for many, alternatives like Indie, ThinkScript, NinjaScript, MetaQuotes Language (MQL), and even general-purpose languages like Python and C++ are gaining traction. Let’s explore these...
Source: medium.com
Top 5 Most Liked and Hated Programming Languages of 2022
No wonder Python is one of the easiest programming languages to work upon. This general-purpose programming language finds immense usage in the field of web development, machine learning applications, as well as cutting-edge technology in the software industry. The fact that Python is used by major tech giants such as Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc. is good enough proof as to...
Top 10 Rust Alternatives
This programming langue is typed statically and operates on a complied system. It works based on several computing languages Python, Ada, and Modula.
15 data science tools to consider using in 2021
Python is the most widely used programming language for data science and machine learning and one of the most popular languages overall. The Python open source project's website describes it as "an interpreted, object-oriented, high-level programming language with dynamic semantics," as well as built-in data structures and dynamic typing and binding capabilities. The site...
The 10 Best Programming Languages to Learn Today
Python's variety of applications make it a powerful and versatile language for different use cases. Python-based web development frameworks like Django and Flask are gaining popularity fast. It's also equipped with quality machine learning and data analysis tools like Scikit-learn and Pandas.
Source: ict.gov.ge

Ruby Reviews

The 10 Best Programming Languages to Learn Today
With the growing popularity of Apple operating systems and applications, having Swift programming skills under your belt is a wise investment. Swift shares some similar characteristics with programming languages Ruby and Python.
Source: ict.gov.ge

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Python seems to be a lot more popular than Ruby. While we know about 288 links to Python, we've tracked only 4 mentions of Ruby. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Python mentions (288)

  • A Beginner's Guide to Auto-Instrumenting a Flask App with OpenTelemetry and SigNoz
    If Python is not installed, download it from python.org or use your system's package manager (e.g., sudo apt install python3 on Ubuntu). - Source: dev.to / 25 days ago
  • Scraping Infinite Scroll Pages with a 'Load More' Button: A Step-by-Step Guide
    Python Installed: Download and install the latest Python version from python.org, including pip during setup. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Get Started with Python
    First, you'll need to install Python if you don't have it already. Go to the official Python website python.org, download the latest version, and follow the instructions. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Unlocking DuckDB from Anywhere - A Guide to Remote Access with Apache Arrow and Flight RPC (gRPC)
    Python: We’ll use Python for it’s simplicity and accessibility. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Python Packaging is Great Now: `uv` is all you need
    Bootstrapping was an often neglected problem. Should we tell people to install Python from https://python.org? The Anaconda distribution? How do we stop folks from using their system package manager and risk breaking everything? - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
View more

Ruby mentions (4)

  • What I posted this week about Ruby
    On Thursday, I shared the importance of contributing to Ruby's documentation, and I wanted to show that even a small contribution can help. Thus, I showed a small PR I submitted for the ruby-lang.org website:. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • A full-stack serverless application with AssemblyLift and Next.js
    The counter function is written in Ruby. Since Ruby is an interpreted language, AssemblyLift deploys a customized Ruby 3.1 interpreter compiled to WebAssembly, which executes the function handler. Since the interpreter is somewhat large, the cold-start time of a Ruby function tends to be larger than that of a Rust function. Our counter is being run in the backround, so we're fine with it being a little bit laggy... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Why is no one promoting ruby?
    But, in general I was told use rubyapi.org unless you _really_ want to stick with the ruby-lang.org docs for all you do (which is fine) or to dig more into some object hierarchy, etc. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Looking for pwsh (core/open source, v7) integration w/ rbenv, asdf
    [2] 'rbenv' - https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv - Ruby version management utility. Run something like rbenv install 3.1.1 to install that version on your system (requires related project ruby-build), then rbenv local 3.1.1 in your code's directory to specify that for any ruby command in that directory only, you want to use version 3.1.1 that you installed through rbenv. Does other useful stuff too. Only does Ruby,... Source: about 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Python and Ruby, you can also consider the following products

JavaScript - Lightweight, interpreted, object-oriented language with first-class functions

Rust - A safe, concurrent, practical language

C++ - Has imperative, object-oriented and generic programming features, while also providing the facilities for low level memory manipulation

Java - A concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, language specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible

PHP - A popular general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited to web development

Elixir - Dynamic, functional language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications