Developed in 1991, the Python programming language has grown in popularity. It’s general purpose, meaning it can be used to create almost any computer program, including websites. It’s surprisingly easy to learn yet still powerful enough for some of the most advanced web applications, making it a programming language that benefits any web developer.
Making websites with Python is easier than most people think because this language makes use of frameworks. Frameworks are prebuilt selections of code that are made to perform specific tasks. For example, some frameworks will give your site structure, perform common functionalities, and much more when creating a website. You can use a framework to dramatically cut down the total amount of actual coding you need to perform, saving you much time.
Python makes many things about website building faster and easier, but you still need to ensure you have everything in place and complete all the essential steps.
Set Up Python Web Hosting
As with any website, you’ll need good hosting. Almost all web hosting companies today will support running websites using Python code. Some, however, are better than others or specialize in hosting these types of sites.
Taking the time to find the right hosting company for your Python website will help ensure you don’t run into trouble down the road. While most hosting companies can run Python-based sites, those that don’t have it as a focus may not keep their systems updated to the latest versions of Python. This can cause your website to load incorrectly if you use updated versions before the hosting provider is ready.
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Choose Your Framework
One of the most important steps when creating a website using Python is choosing your framework. There are quite a few different popular frameworks that will make it faster and easier to make a website. The following are among the most popular Python web frameworks used today:
- Django: Django is one of the most recognized options as it uses the “Don’t Repeat Yourself” principle, allowing you to reuse code. It also has several great Python libraries that are ready to use.
- Flask: Flask is a microframework that’s not open source, which makes it great for some people. This framework is also compatible with Google App Engine, which is key for some people.
- Web2Py: This full-stack open-source framework can run on almost any web hosting platform. It also has built-in security measures for common web vulnerabilities.
- AIOHTTP: AIOHTTP is an asynchronous framework with both a server and client-side function, making it very useful for many sites.
There are, of course, dozens of other frameworks to choose from. Finding the right one based on your needs may take a little time, but it’s well worth the effort.
Code Your Website
Once you have your framework, you’ll be ready to begin coding your website. You’ll spend most of your time here, though many first-time users are surprised at how quickly it can go. Thanks to of the established Python frameworks, the bulk of the steps that need to be manually coded when using other languages are already in place.
An experienced Python web developer can have a website up and running relatively quickly. Using the right frameworks, you could have an extremely basic site up in well under an hour. A typical website will typically take about a day if you don’t include creating the actual content for the site. After initially coding your site, you’ll constantly update and improve it to keep it current and functioning properly.
Pros and Cons and Building a Website With Python
Python is just one of the dozens of ways to create a website. If you’re on the fence about whether this is the best option for your site, you can refer to the pros and cons below for guidance.
Benefits of Building a Website With Python
- Python’s code is shorter than other programming languages, making it easier to implement, debug, and make changes.
- Since Python is open-source, you’ll have tons of frameworks and free tools at your disposal.
- Python is scalable and secure, which are both crucial for creating a website.
- If you’re new to coding, Python is relatively easy to learn compared to other programming languages.
- Python has amazing data visualization capabilities, keeping your code simple with the ability to express data points in several different ways.
Drawbacks of Building a Website With Python
- If you don’t have any coding experience, you’ll need to learn HTML and CSS in addition to Python—which isn’t something that happens overnight.
- Building a website with Python will take much longer than using a simple website builder with drag-and-drop capabilities.
- Any collaborators who don’t know Python will struggle to help on the backend of your site, meaning you’ll always need to have access to development resources.
Resources for Learning Python Coding
If you don’t already know Python code, or this will be your first time using it for website programming, you’ll need to learn some key points to get started. Python is widely considered one of the easiest programming languages to learn today. Additionally, no matter what level of learning you require, resources are available to you.
Consider some great options:
- Digital.com’s Python for Beginners Page: This is an excellent introduction to Python that explains what it is, how it works, and much more.
- Best Python Hosting: Read our reviews of the best Python web hosting companies.
- Python’s Official Website: The Python website is a great resource. You can download the source code and installers, which is critical. It also has some great documentation to get you going.
- Python Class from Google: Google uses Python for many things, and it offers a good class to help get web developers started. This is a free class that can be very helpful.
- Python Videos: If you like to learn things by seeing them in a video, this page has a lot of great resources to help get you going.
- Languages and Frameworks: If you still aren’t certain that Python is the right option, we created an overview of different languages and frameworks to help you understand your options to pick the best one.
FAQS About Building a Website with Python
Is it hard to learn Python?
Python is considered one of the easiest programming languages to learn. While anyone can learn Python programming — even if you’ve never written a line of Python code before — you should expect it to take time. In general, it takes around two to six months to learn the fundamentals of Python.
Can you recommend a project for beginners in Python?
My advice would be to watch a tutorial video, build the project, break it apart and rebuild it your own way. Experiment with adding new features or using different methods. That will test if you have really learned the concepts or not.
What is the best way to learn Python?
There are many ways to learn Python. Here are some tips that can help you get started:
- Start with a simple project and enhance the functionality as you code
- Take a reputed online course to kickstart your Python journey
- Learn the syntax along the way. Don’t spend too much time on learning the syntax alone
- Have a project set up with an IDE like PyCharm, start coding
- Experiment with adding new features or using different methods
- Make sure you completely understand and have extensive hands-on experience at each level before you move to the next one
Will it cost me anything to learn Python?
You can download Python, use Python, sell your Python apps and code and even learn Python, all for free. There are many free online courses available that can help you learn Python.
How is Python used in the industry?
Python is used in many industries such as finance, healthcare, insurance, aerospace, entertainment, and more. Python programming is a skill that can be used in virtually any industry, as well as in positions far beyond just web development.
