Perl and Python are popular programming languages. They have been around since the 1970s. Both are interpreted, high-level programming languages used for automation, scripting, and web development. The two languages have some important differences which may influence the decision you make when choosing to learn or use one. 

Python is the server-side scripting language of 1.5% of all websites we know. 1.7% of websites we know that are in the top 100,000 use Python.  

This blog compares Perl and Python from various perspectives, such as community, libraries, and popularity. It will help you in deciding which language is better for scripting. 

So let’s begin. 

 

What Is Perl?

  

 

Perl belongs to a group of scripting programming languages, with a C-like syntax. It is an older language that can be interpreted and is meant for general use.

Perl has been designed for ease of use. Its efficient architectural design allows developers to do a lot of work with a very small amount of code. Perl is a high-level, interpreted dynamic programming language. Larry Wall had the idea back in 1987. Perl doesn’t officially have a full name. It is more commonly known as “Practical Extract and Reporting Language”. 

Perl was designed originally for text processing. For example, it can extract information from specific text files and convert them to a new format. This is why the acronym “Practical Extraction and Reporting Language”, or PEL, is commonly used. 

 

Features Of Perl

• This involves the use of important tools for processing text in order to make it compatible with mark-up languages such as XML and HTML.
• Perl supports object-oriented programming in a simple syntax.
• It provides a regular-expression engine that can convert all types of text.
• Perl is used to write several frameworks.
• It is a language that can be used on any platform.
• Perl is able to manage encrypted web data, including eCommerce transactions.
• The system is embedded into other systems, such as web servers and database servers.
• The software is easily extensible as it can be extended to 25,000 open-source modules.

 

Pros of Perl

• Shell Language
• Uses Braces and Loops for Functions.
• The Most Powerful Programming language
• Versatile
• The Multi-purpose Language
• Mature Language
• It depends on the need.

 

Cons of Perl

• Unreadable code is a result of many ways to achieve the same result.
• It is slower than scripting for many tasks.
• Not well-implemented Object-Oriented
• Problems arise when codes exceed 200 lines, i.e.
• The handling of the argument is poor
• Not Portable
• No Interpreter Shell
• Ugly Libraries

 

What is Python?

 

 

Python is a high-level, object-oriented programming language that’s interpreted. It has dynamic semantics. The high-level data structures combined with dynamic binding and dynamic typing make Python a very attractive language for Rapid Application Development.

It can also be used as a scripting language or to connect existing components. The easy-to-learn syntax of Python emphasizes readability, which reduces maintenance costs. Python’s support for modules and packages encourages modularity in programs and the reuse of code. Python’s interpreter, standard library, and source code are freely available for all major platforms in binary or source form.

 

Features of Python 

• Python is easy to learn and use.
• It is more expressive, which means that it is more readable and understandable. Python can work on various platforms such as Unix, Windows, Macintosh, and Linux.
• Python is an interpretive language.
• Python can be used to generate GUIs (graphic user interfaces).
• It supports object-oriented languages. It introduces the concepts of classes and objects.
• Python is easily compatible with other languages such as C++, C++, JAVA, and others.
• Python is a powerful language with a large library. Python provides a wide range of modules and functions for rapid application development.

 

Python Pros

• This language has an elegant and clean syntax, making it a good choice for beginners who are interested in learning a programming language.
• Python has a very powerful OO programming language. It is also much better at threading than Perl.
• Perl is the preferred language for CGI scripting, but Python’s Django and strong>web2py/strong> are also popular. Perl was preferred for CGI scripting, but Python Django is now more popular. Web2py also has a lot of appeal.

 

 

• The development of SWIG wrappers has been preceded by the development of SWIG for Perl.
• Python code is always indented, making it easy to understand and read even if someone else wrote the code or if it was your own code.
• Python has a large community of users who are active and support it because it is Open Source.

 

Python Cons

• The execution of Python in regex, string-based operations, and other areas is slower than Perl.
• It can be difficult to determine the type of variable when you are working with large codes. You have to wait until the very end of the code to find a variable type that is complex and cluttered.

 

Perl Vs Python – Key Differences You Should Know

Perl and Python are often confused terms. We have listed some of the most important differences between Perl and Python.  

 

Features	Perl	Python
Introduction	Perl is an interpretable, high-level language that can be used for a wide range of purposes. It’s also dynamic. Bugzilla and CPanel are two of the most successful Perl projects. It was also developed to process text, such as obtaining data from a text file. It can also be used to change the text file in a different form.	Python is one of the most widely used general-purpose high-level languages. Python is popular because of its extensive library and support. It can be used for Desktop Applications, Machine Learning, and Web Development.
File Extension	Perl Scripts can be saved using the. pl extension. For example document.pl	Use the.py file format to save Python Scripts. Example: myFile.py
Whitespaces	The software does not care if there are whitespaces.	Python does not accept whitespaces. It will then deal with whitespaces, and show syntax errors.
Learning	Compared to Python, it is a bit difficult to learn.	Python learning is easy.
Focus	Perl is a simple language that supports tasks like file scanning and report creation.	Python also emphasizes the support of basic methodologies. Data structure design, object-oriented programming, and so on.
DataTypes	Scalars, numeric, text, hashes, and Arrays are some of the data types that Perl can handle.	Python includes a number of data types, including dictionaries, lists, tuples, and strings.
Statement Blocks	To mark the statement block in Perl, use braces.	Similarly to this, Python utilizes indentations to denote statement blocks.
Statement End	In Perl, however, every statement should be followed by a semicolon	Python does not require that all statements end with semicolons, as it is concerned with whitespaces.
Regular Expression	This is a part of the language that simplifies text processing.	It is also necessary to understand the methods and functions of regexes.
Comment	The statement that started with # is recognized as a commentary. # This is a Perl Inline Comment for documentation. In Perl, we use = and =cut. For example:=. This is a Perl comment but can be used for documentation as well=cut	Python uses “#” as an inline comment. Three inverted commas can be used as comments or documentation. “This is a Python example that can be used both in the documentation and in comments” “.

 

Key Differences: Python vs Perl

You should be aware that there are key differences between Python and Perl:

 

Perl and Python-Syntax 

The first thing that you will notice is the syntax. Perl can appear cryptic for beginners due to its use of special characters and symbols. Python uses a syntax that is clean and simple and focuses on readability.

 

Perl vs Python – Community

Perl and Python both have active and large developer communities. Python, however, has a bigger community and more online resources. The community has developed and maintained a large number of frameworks and libraries for Python. Perl has a large community as well, but not as big as Python’s.

 

Perl vs Python – Libraries

Python is a language that has many libraries and frameworks. This makes it easy to solve problems and accomplish tasks. Perl has many libraries as well, but aren’t as popular as Python.

 

Perl vs Python – Popularity

In terms of job opportunities and usage, Python is more popular. According to the TIOBE index, Python is the third-most-popular programming language. Perl is ranked 18th. Python’s popularity is due to the fact that it is used in many fields such as web development, data science, machine learning, and automation. 

 

Conclusion 

We hope that you found this blog helpful. We’ve done our best to introduce you briefly to Perl and Python programming languages. This blog compared the features of Perl and Python along with a short introduction to each language’s history.   

It has covered both the benefits and areas of use of Perl and Python. The table at the end of this blog should have provided a quick overview of Perl and Python performance, features, and code style. Now that you know the difference between Perl and Python, you should now understand which language is better for scripting. 

 

FAQ 

 

1. Which is Better, Python or Perl?

Perl is an easier-to-learn high-level programming language than Python. Python, on the other hand, is more robust and durable than Perl.

 

2. What is the Difference Between Perl and Python?

Perl and Python have some significant differences. Python doesn’t require a semicolon at the end of a line. Perl does. Perl may not be easy to learn but it simplifies text processing. Python is easier to understand and has functions for text processing.

 

3. How is Perl Different From Python?  

Perl and Python have some differences. Perl requires a semicolon at the end of a line, while Python does not. Perl requires a lot of learning, but it simplifies text processing. Python is easier to understand and has functions for text processing.