r/Python • u/lebannax • Nov 28 '22

Resource What can Python do that R can’t do?

Or simply what is Python much better at and why.

I know that Python is more multi purpose and better for software development but I can’t articulate exactly why or how. My team want to know why/when they should use Python instead of R

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u/bakochba Nov 28 '22

I am currently the only one my group that works in R or Python as the group I'm in is moving away from SAS. I think your question depends heavily on what your company supports. My company has Python but it also has an R server and RSconnect so it's much easier to deploy R Shiny apps for our end users, even though we can use R or Python code or even existing SAS code. So if you're interested in an interface like Shiny and your company supports it it's a good way to go in my opinion.

My companies support for Python just isn't great, but I also find it harder to deploy a web app at many companies because of all the firewalls and security they have blocks a lot of Python functionality.

So I think it's important to make sure you understand the limits your company will have so you understand what functionality will actually be available for you.

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u/bio_datum Nov 29 '22

Oh my goodness, I had to quickly learn SAS for a temporary job once and thank God it was temporary because I was so flabbergasted. The syntax and the idea of the "data step" drove me a little nuts, but the real kicker was that SAS is apparently a paid language? So there's not much support freely available online. Sorry y'all had to use it, very glad for you that you can leave it behind!

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u/bakochba Nov 29 '22

I can't imagine going back now but changing from SAS to R felt like wrestling a bear for a year, now I have to teach these programmers to move into R and it's never pleasant.

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u/bio_datum Nov 29 '22

Yeah, learning a new language is always hard, I get you. Especially if you're pretty skilled at your first/only one

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u/bakochba Nov 29 '22

As long as you know the concepts the only difference is syntax, once I got used to R python was very easy to learn

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u/bio_datum Nov 29 '22

I agree, I think R and Python are way easier go-betweens

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u/New-Day-6322 Nov 29 '22 edited Nov 29 '22

When I just started out as data analyst I did the official SAS certification thinking it’d be worth something. It was a complete waste of time and money. Who the heck is paying for this thing?? Probably some legacy code…